Bihar: Toppers scam accused, wife arrested by Special Investigation team

Patna: After being on the run for almost two weeks the main accused in fake toppers scandal Lalkeshwar Singh and his former MLA wife Usha Sinha were arrested on Monday by Special Investigation team.

Mr. Singh had gone into hiding 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 an investigation. Mrs. Sinha was the principal of Ganga Devi College and was removed from the post on Tuesday by the authorities.

Lalkeshwar Singh was arrested from an undisclosed location in Varanasi. Speaking on the issue Patna SSP Manu Maharaj said, “They have been arrested and we will begin interrogation immediately after they are brought back to Patna”.

After his arrest the police hopes to tie several loose ends which may help them solve the toppers scam case which rocked Bihar last month. Patna SSP Manu Maharaj who also heads the SIT further said, “A separate interrogation team will be constituted to question all those who have been arrested”.

Earlier, the police had taken Bacha Rai, the director of Vishun Rai College into custody after he had surrendered last week in Vaishali. Police sources said, “All three are likely to be questioned jointly after Singh and his wife are brought back to Patna”. On Wednesday Patna Civil Court had issued a warrant of arrest against former BSEB chairman Lalkeshwar Singh and his wife Usha Sinha.

Lid was put off on the existence of education mafia in Bihar when video of two toppers Ruby Rai and Saurabh Shrestha showed them struggling to find answers to some very basic questions putting the entire education system of the state in dock. The incident had created a nationwide uproar forcing the Nitish Kumar-led government to act against people who were sitting at the top.