Bihar toppers scam: Police to probe money trail of accused

Patna, June 20 (IANS) The Economic Offence Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police will probe the money trail and assets of the kingpin and key accused in the Bihar toppers scam, police said on Monday.

 

The kingpin of Class 12 toppers scam — Amit Kumar alias Bachcha Rai — and key accused Lalkeshwar Singh, former Chairman of Bihar School Examination Board, and his wife Usha Sinha have been arrested.

Singh and his wife were arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) from Varanasi on Monday.

The EOU will now track the money power play of Rai, Singh and his wife and other accused persons involved in the scam, a police official said.

"The SIT probing into the toppers scam, is taking help of EOU to reach out to their ill-gotten income and money," he said.

The EOU will look into the properties accumulated by Bachcha Rai, Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha Sinha and other accused in the case, police said.

Last week, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) during raids at Rai’s residence and premises of V.R. College, which he ran, recovered huge amounts of cash, jewellery and documents of landed property purchased by Rai.

According to reports, the V.R. College used to charge Rs 25,000-40,000 for ensuring students got first division and Rs 1 lakh and more for making them toppers in the examinations.

Rai also sold Class 12 certificates for Rs 5 lakh to those who never appeared in the examinations.

According to the SIT, so far 15 people have been arrested in the case.

The state government has set up an Economic Offences Unit (EOU) as a separate branch to deal with the cases of economic crimes.

Singh resigned from the post soon after his name cropped up in the scam. After that, he was missing nd said to be on the run.

Last Friday, the SIT moved a local court to declare Singh and his wife as proclaimed offenders.

The state police had also moved the Ministry of External Affairs to cancel their passports.

The police are likely to attach their immovable properties after the court declares them proclaimed offenders in the case.

Rai, during his questioning in police custody that ended on Sunday, said that he was close to Singh and his wife.

Rai, director-cum-principal of V.R. College in Vaishali district, surrendered before police last week.

According to reports, the SIT has found evidences that suggest Singh had a role in the Class 12 merit list scam.

Evidences also indicate the state education board’s complicity in the Class 12 toppers’ results.