Topper scam in Bihar: Court issues arrest warrants against ex-BSEB chief, JD(U) MLA

Patna, June 15: A court on Wednesday,June 15 issued arrest warrants against former Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife, former JD(U) MLA Usha Sinha, in connection with +2 toppers scandal in the state.

Patna Chief Judicial Magistrate Om Prakash issued the arrest warrants against the couple on a plea by police. Sinha was yesterday replaced as principal of Ganga Devi College here by senior professor of the institution Kanchan Chakhaiyar.

Sinha had appointed junior professor Dilip Kumar Verma as principal of the college before proceeding on leave after her name cropped up in the +2 examination scandal in which her husband and ex-board chairman was a prime player.

Investigation in the scam had highlighted her role and the police made her a co-accused in the case. Smelling trouble, Sinha went underground last week and appointed Verma as principal of the college. Sinha, who did not contest the 2015 Assembly elections as her seat Hilsa in Nalanda district had gone to RJD quota, had joined the college and was made the principal.

"Prima facie there are ample evidences against Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh. Proof of tampering in the exam copies and evaluation have been found which was in the knowledge of the ex-BSEB chairman (Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh)," senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaj, who heads the SIT to probe the scam, had said.

Police had on June 11 arrested Bacha Rai, the kingpin of the toppers scandal, from Bhagwanpur police station in Vaishali district.

Rai is the secretary-cum principal of controversial Bishun Rai College. The scandal was brought to the fore by media by conducting interviews of arts and science toppers Ruby Rai and Saurabh Shreshta for their answers to simple questions.

PTI