Bihar toppers scam: Arts topper Rubi Rai arrested

Patna, June 25: Bihar's Class 12 "topper" in Arts Rubi Rai, who had said political science is all about cooking, was arrested on Saturday when she appeared for a re-test at the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) office, police said.

"Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Bihar police probing into the Bihar toppers scam has arrested Rubi Rai when she finally appeared for a re-test at BSEB office," a police official said.

Rubi will be produced in the local court on Sunday, the official added.

Before today, Rubi Rai failed to appear in the re-test twice on June 3 and June 17. She reportedly informed the board that she is not well and unable to appear for the re-test.

The results of Rubi and other toppers were put on hold after the scam came to light in May.

A total of 14 students were called for a re-test by the BSEB after a news channel broadcast a sting in which Rubi Rai said: "Prodikal (read political) science is about cooking", and Saurabh Shreshtha, a Science topper, said: "Most reactive element in the periodic table is aluminium".

Ruby had scored 444 out of 500 marks in the Arts stream and Saurabh Shreshtha 485 out of 500 in Science. Both studied in V.R. College in Vaishali district.

According to police officials, the Patna civil court has issued a non-bailable warrant of arrest against four toppers including Rubi Rai.

The V.R. college director-cum-principal Bachcha Rai was arrested early this month and was lodged in Beur jail in Patna.

The former board chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad and his wife, and former Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MLA Usha Sinha were also arrested in connection with the scam.

"Police have taken them on remand for interrogation," officials said.

So far, nearly 20 people have been arrested by the SIT.

IANS