Five held in Bihar merit list case; ex-chairman, Bachha Rai still at large

Patna: The Police on Thursday arrested five persons in connection with the 10+2 toppers' scandal, while former Bihar School Examination Board chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and Bishun Rai College principal Bachha Rai, the lead player in the merit muddle, continued to abscond.

Those arrested and sent to jail included Vikeshwar Prasad Yadav, the principal-cum-centre superintendent of Government Boys High School Rajendra Nagar, Patna and Sanjiv Kumar Suman, a Mathematics teacher of the same school; Shambhu Nath Das section officer and Ranjit Kumar Mishra, assistant, both working at the confidential wing of the Inter Council and Shail Kumari, principal-cum-centre superintendent of G A Inter College, Hajipur, said SSP Patna Manu Maharaj.

The SSP, who heads the SIT probing the case, said both Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and Bachha Rai were absconding.

"The process to include names of the two absconding persons in the FIR is currently underway and they will be arrested as there are ample evidence against them," he said.

"Prima facie, there are ample evidence against Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh. Proof of tampering exam copies and evaluation have been found, which was in the knowledge of the ex-BSEB chairman," the SSP, who visited the Examination Board yesterday to search for evidence in the irregularities, said.

"Bank accounts of Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh will be scrutinised. Besides, Singh's call records and his family members' phone records will also be studied for more details in the case," the SSP said.

The Police today raided the residence of Bachha Rai in Vaishali and seized his laptop, diary, some admit cards and answer sheets. The SSP, however, did not give details of the seized answer sheets.

Arts topper Ruby Rai and first ranker in Science stream Saurabh Shrestha hailed from Bachha Rai's college. His own daughter Shalini Rai, who is also named in the FIR, is also under investigation Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh resigned as BSEB chairman yesterday after noose started tightening around him in the scandal.

He has been replaced by Patna Commissioner Anand Kishore. The state education department has also changed Harihar Nath Jha and named Anoop Sinha as its new Secretary.

Both the new appointees have taken charge of office.