BHOPAL: Beleaguered Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav left for Delhi today amidst intense speculation that he is going to visit President Pranab Mukherjee with whom he had sought an audience.
However, Raj Bhawan downplayed his visit saying that he has gone to the national capital to attend a wedding in the families of Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav.
The MP governor left for Delhi in a state-owned plane.
Two days ago, Yadav was booked by the Special Task Force (STF) for his alleged involvement in the MPPEB's Forest Guard recruitment scam.
Since then, there has been speculation about his resignation after a section of the media reported that he had resigned, though the Raj Bhawan denied it.
Yadav has been charged under different sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 420 (fraud), the official said, adding, besides being booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Madhya Pradesh High Court to oversee the STF probe has already given its nod to the investigative agency (STF) to proceed against a "high ranking dignitary".
On February 20, the matter came up for hearing in the High Court, when a division bench comprising Chief Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice Alok Aradhe observed, "The STF is free to proceed against the high-ranking dignitary".
The MP Governor's role in the scam came under the scanner of the probe agency soon after the arrest of his Officer on Special Duty Dhanraj Yadav in connection with the MPPEB's Pre-Medical Test (PMT) scam.
Later, his son Shailesh Yadav's name too figured in the supplementary chargesheet filed by the STF in the contractual teachers Grade III exam case.
Since then, the opposition Congress has been mounting pressure on the governor to quit and even boycotted his customary address on the opening day of the MP Assembly's Budget Session on February 18.
The Madhya Pradesh Assembly's Budget session had to be adjourned sine die after the opposition Congress created a ruckus on the MPPEB scam since February 18, and the ruling party tabled a Censure Motion against them on the issue.