BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh high court on Saturday took serious note of the attack on Ashish Chaturvedi, who had blown the whistle on Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam.

Division bench of high court took suo moto cognizance of TOI's report on how Chaturvedi, a key complainant in MPPEB case, was discharged from hospital, a day after a mob attack in Gwalior on November 2. Court asked STF to probe the incident and submit a report by January 13. Subsequently, STF summoned Chaturvedi to record his statement.

Chaturvedi said he received the letter on Saturday and it was not possible for him to reach STF headquarters on Monday. "They must either give me more time or send an officer to my place. How can I travel to Bhopal from Gwalior in such short notice," he asked.

He stuck to his earlier statement that doctors discharged him from hospital under political pressure. "The attack was pre-planned to terrorise me. I was collecting important clues to expose more people involved in MPPEB scam. I have informed police about suspects," he said.

Chaturvedi had exposed those close to Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and seven others for their role in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam. He was surrounded and pinned down near Gwalior's Dal Bazar area and brutally thrashed.

He was injured even as his personal security officer (PSO) stood as a mute spectator. He was referred to teaching hospital of Gwalior medical college for treatment. Police are still clueless on the two men who attacked him.

Chaturvedi lodged a complaint and police officers swung into action after additional director general Sudhir Sahi, who is heading the MPPEB scam probe, rang up to inquire about the incident.

