Vyapam Scam: Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal attend journalist Akshay Singh's funeral

New Delhi: The last rites of investigative TV journalist Akshay Singh, who was covering Vyapam scam, were held on Sunday in the capital where Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were among those present, amid mounting outrage over his mysterious death.

Delhi BJP Chief Satish Upadhyaya, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, DPCC chief Ajay Maken and Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Randeep Singh Surjewala also attended the cremation at Nigambodh Ghat in East Delhi.

Singh, who was working with TV Today group, died on Saturday after he interviewed parents of a girl who was found dead after her name figured in the massive admission and recruitment scandal in Madhya Pradesh (Vyapam).

This morning, a Dean of a Jabalpur Medical College, said to be probing fake examinees in the Vyapam scam, was also found dead under mysterious circumstances at a hotel in south-west Delhi’s Dwarka.

At least 25 accused and witnesses have died so far in Vyapam scam, an admission and recruitment racket allegedly involving several bureaucrats and politicians.

The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party mounted a sharp attack on the BJP government in MP demanding a thorough investigation into the deaths of a number of persons allegedly related to Vyapam scam.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said he was “pained” to meet the family members of the journalist.

Pained to meet the mother, father &sister of Akshay Singh. My prayers are with them in this time of terrible grief: Rahul Gandhi

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 5, 2015

Kejriwal demanded steps to ensure that the guilty are punished and there are no more deaths.

Vyapam scam n all deaths so far ought to be thoroughly investigated. Guilty must be punished. Something MUST be done to prevent more deaths.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 5, 2015

Minutes after the interview on Friday, 38-year-old Akshay Singh had started frothing at the mouth. He was rushed to civil hospital and later to a private hospital in Jhabua in MP, but doctors failed to revive him.

From there he was taken to another hospital in nearby Dahod in Gujarat, where he was declared brought dead.

PTI