PATNA: Amid mounting pressure with regard to alleged irregularities in the 10+2 toppers’ scandal, Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) Chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh today resigned from his post.
“We have received the resignation letter of Board Chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh,” state Education Minister Ashok Choudhary told PTI.
Earlier in the day, the department issued a show-cause notice to the BSEB Chairman as to why he should not be removed from the post for the irregularities committed in +2 plus examination results.
Singh was asked to give his reply within 24 hours to the department, Chaudhary said.
It may be noted that the probe team had questioned Singh for five hours yesterday.
Besides, a team of state police and CID visited the Board yesterday and perused the results of the Intermediate examination. The team also took away Singh’s computer, laptop and smartphone with it.
The state government had taken strong objection to Singh’s decision to constitute a four member committee headed by a retired high court judge to probe the alleged irregularities in evaluation of marks in this year’s 10+2 examination. The government had on May 6 dissolved the committee.
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna Manu Maharaaj, said that four persons have been detained by the police in the case lodged by the education department against seven persons on late Monday night.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on May 6 had directed the Education department to lodge an FIR in connection with the case.
The CM ordered that the entire matter be probed by police and stern action initiated against those found guilty.
“No one will be spared and action would be taken after fixing responsibility in the matter,” Kumar had said.
Centre Superintendent of G A Inter School, Hajipur Shail Kumari and a clerk of the college besides Centre Superintendent of Rajendra Balak High School, Patna, Visheshwar Yadav and another person have been detained for interrogation in this connection, SSP Manu Maharaaj who is heading the SIT said.
He said notices have been sent to the four toppers for interrogation.
A SIT team had yesterday raided the residence of Bacha Rai, the principal of Vishun Rai College, and his father Rajdeo Rai who is the Secretary of the college.
The team had collected documents from the college and Bacha Rai’s residence.
Police had on late Monday night lodged an FIR that named seven persons as accused – management of Vishun Rai College, Hajipur, Centre Superintendent of G A Inter College, Hajipur where the exam was conducted, Centre Superintendent of Balak High School, Rajendra Nagar, Patna where copies were evaluated and marks allotted, the DSP said.
Besides, Intermediate Arts topper Ruby Rai, science toppers Shalini Rai, Saurav Shreshth and Rahul Kumar have also been included in the FIR.
The scandal surfaced after a video featuring Ruby Rai and Saurabh Shreshth went viral in which both the students of Vishun Rai College were seen giving “ridiculous” answers to questions from their subjects.–PTI
