Bihar toppers scam: Alleged mastermind Lalkeshwar Singh, wife held from UP

Patna: Ex-chairman of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, the alleged mastermind of the toppers scam in the Bihar intermediate examination, and his former JD(U) MLA wife Usha Sinha were arrested from Varanasi by the Special Investigation Team on Monday, a senior police officer said here.

"Lalkeshwar Singh and his wife Usha Sinha have been arrested from Varanasi and police will begin interrogation immediately after they are brought to Patna", Senior Superintendent of Police of Patna, Manu Maharaj said.

Their arrest by SIT was made following a tip off about their presence in the temple city of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, the SSP, who is heading the SIT on toppers' merit muddle, said.

“A separate interrogation team will be constituted to question all those who have been arrested," said the SSP.

Read: Bihar toppers scam: Pistol, cartridges seized from Bachha Rai's college office

Singh had gone underground after his resignation on June 8, while his wife and former JD(U) MLA Usha Sinha was untraceable after her role in toppers scam was established during investigation. Police had acquired an arrest warrant against them from a Patna court in the irregularities in Bihar +2 examination.

The SIT was armed with a court order to attach Lalkeswar Singh's property which would have taken place today.

Usha Sinha was the Principal of Ganga Devi college in Patna from which she was removed. She is a co-accused in the case where degrees were allegedly awarded to undeserving students in lieu of a hefty sum of money.

Secretary-cum-Principal of Vaishali-based Bishun Rai Intermediate college, Bachha Rai from where Arts and Science toppers Ruby Rai and Saurabh Shrestha hailed from, is already in police net and has provided information about the modus operandi of Lalkeshwar Singh and his wife in running the degree racket, the police said.

Bachha Rai was arrested from outside the college last week and subsequent police raids at his college and home in Vaishali have unearthed evidences of the dubious racket.

Over 20 kg jewellery was seized by the police from his house recently which was kept hidden beneath a bundle of haystack.

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi has alleged that Bachha Rai, an active RJD supporter, had worked more than Lalu Prasad to ensure the victory of Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav from Raghopur and Mahua seats in Vaishali respectively.

The merit muddle had surfaced following media expose of dubious Arts and science toppers of this year who could not answer even basic questions related to their subjects.

On the orders of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the committee set up by BSEB and state education department into the +2 examination irregularities were disbanded and a police case registered for direct action against the people involved in the racket.

Patna Commissioner Anand Kishor has been made Chairman of the Bihar School Examination Board to clean up the board.

More than 200 board employees were removed from their post which they were occupying for more than three years. BSEB has already cancelled the result of Science topper Saurabh Shrestha and third topper in science stream Rahul Kumar after finding them not up to mark in a re-test cum interview.

Arts topper Ruby Rai has skipped the past two summons by the board for a similar re-test. Her result has been put on hold and she has been asked to appear before experts on June 25 next.