Bihar exam row: Police seals Vishun Rai College, principal Bachha Rai still at large

PANTA: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) from Patna under Superintendent of Police (City), Chandan Kushwaha, raided Bihar 10+2 exam scandal kingpin Bachcha Rai's residence on Thursday as the lead player in the merit muddle, continued to abscond. Another SIT under additional Superintendent of Police Patna, raided and sealed the centre of the entire controversy Visun Rai Rai college on Thursday. The Police raided the residence of Bachha Rai in Vaishali and seized documents related to college, his laptop, diary, some admit cards and answer sheets. The police, however, did not give details of the seized answer sheets. Arts topper Ruby Rai and first ranker in Science stream Saurabh Shrestha hailed from Bachha Rai's college. His own daughter Shalini Rai, who is also named in the FIR, is also under investigation. Vishun Roy College, named after Bachcha Rai's grandfather, an influential person of the area, has a stunning success rate. This year, a number of top 10 students are from the college. The state topper in the science stream, Saurabh Shrestha, whose achievement is also under the scanner after he and Ruby were shown up to lack basic knowledge of their streams during television interviews, is from the same college and district. Saurabh's father, Ajay Singh, is a big railway contractor and influential person in the region. Last year, Bachcha's daughter Sonali had topped the state in the science stream. A couple of years ago, seven out of the 10 state toppers were from the college. Local residents said parents of students from far-off districts such as Patna, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur and Saran approach Bachcha to get their wards admitted to the college, thanks to its stellar record. A local resident, who did not want to be named, said: "Forget common people; even politicians, bureaucrats and technocrats make a beeline to the director's native place to get their children admitted in the college. Success is guaranteed here." Bachcha's family are diehard supporters of the RJD. His father, Rajdeo Rai, had unsuccessfully contested a Legislative Council poll as an RJD candidate. The family runs a number of academic institutions, including four Intermediate colleges and a BEd college. Bachcha was seen canvassing for votes in favour of Lalu's elder son Tej Pratap from Mahua in Vaishali district during the 2015 Assembly elections. Sources close to Bachcha said he had camped in Mahua for a month during the electioneering. Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh resigned as BSEB chairman on Wednesday after noose started tightening around him in the scandal. He has been replaced by Patna Commissioner Anand Kishore. The state education department has also changed Harihar Nath Jha and named Anoop Sinha as its new Secretary. Both the new appointees have taken charge of office.