Lucknow/Bhopal: Shailesh Yadav, son of Madhya Pradesh Governor and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Ram Naresh Yadav, was on Wednesday found dead under mysterious circumstances at his father’s residence in Lucknow. The Congress described the death as “unnatural” and demanded a CBI probe into it.
The 50-year-old Shailesh Yadav was an accused in the scam in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board or Vyapam, and was reportedly under severe stress for the past few weeks.
He was found dead in the private residence of his father at Mall Avenue in Lucknow.
While family sources said Shailesh Yadav died due to brain haemorrhage, police officials taking up investigation into the death told IANS that an autopsy would be conducted to ascertain the cause.
Shailesh Yadav, sources said, was evading notice from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing the Vyapam scam, and was holed up in the house in Lucknow.
He was charged with taking bribe from 10 applicants appearing for the contractual teachers’ examination in Madhya Pradesh.
The sources also said properties of Shailesh Yadav were on the verge of being attached by investigating agencies.
He was found lying dead near his bed around 7 a.m. by a servant.
The servant saw blood oozing out, and informed family members about it. They called a doctor, who declared him dead.
Family members said Shailesh Yadav was alone in his room on Tuesday night.
Three daughters-in-law of Ram Naresh Yadav, Shailesh Yadav’s two children as well as three servants were present in the house at the time.
On hearing the news about the death, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi reached the house and offered their condolences.
Joshi termed the death “natural” and asked people not to politicise the issue.
However, the Congress party wrote letters to the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
“Shailesh Yadav’s death was not a natural one. He was an accused in the Vyapam scam, but the allegations have not yet been proved. The cause of his death must be made public. This will be possible only if the death is investigated by the CBI.
“We have requested the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to look into our demand,” said Satyadev Katare, Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh assembly.
The Special Task Force (STF) of police had registered a case against Shailesh Yadav, and he was also issued summons.
The STF had also visited Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh while searching for him.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday visited the private hospital in Bhopal in which Governor Ram Naresh Yadav was undergoing treatment for some undisclosed illness.
Ram Naresh Yadav’s other two sons are Kamlesh Yadav and Ajay Naresh Yadav.