SIT begins probe in Bihar exam scam

Patna, June 7: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Tuesday formally begun its probe into a scam involving the toppers in the 12th Board examination in Bihar. A case has been registered against these students, police said.

"An SIT team has interrogated Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad, and seized some computers and hard disks," police said.

"Experts will examine the computers and the hard disks to collect more information on the results of Class 12 Science and Arts examinations," an official said.

According to a senior police official, preliminary investigation by the SIT suggested irregularities in the results of the toppers in the Science and Arts examinations. "Their original answer sheets have been changed with separate pages pasted containing answers," the official said.

The case against the students was registered on Tuesday after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered that an FIR be lodged and the matter be investigated.

Confirming the development, Kotwali police station in-charge Ramsh Prasad Singh said: "Education department official Rajeev Ranjan Prasad Singh has lodged a case in the Kotwali police station in this connection."

The case has been filed against Science toppers Saurabh Sreshtha, third topper Rahul Kumar and Arts topper Rubi Rai. All three are students of VR College.

The case has been registered under sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, an SIT team visited Vaishali district to interrogate the student who topped in Science examination.

The development comes after the state government on Monday dissolved a committee constituted by BSEB to probe into alleged irregularities.

The BSEB on Saturday had cancelled the results of the first and third toppers in the Science stream as both failed in their re-test, but decided to give another chance to the Arts topper to appear for a re-test on June 11.

IANS