Bihar toppers controversy: BSEB chairman Lalkeshwar Singh resigns

Patna: Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, the chairman of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), resigned from his post on Wednesday in the wake of a controversy related to alleged irregularities in the results of the toppers in the Science and Arts examinations.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) had interrogated the BSEB chairman on Tuesday and seized some computers and hard disks.

“Experts will examine the computers and the hard disks to collect more information on the results of Class 12 Science and Arts examinations,” a senior SIT official said.

The preliminary investigation by the SIT so far has suggested irregularities in the results of the toppers in the Science and Arts examinations. “Their original answer sheets have been changed with separate pages containing answers which were pasted later,” the official said.

The case against the students was registered on Tuesday after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered that an FIR be lodged and the matter be investigated.

Confirming the development, Kotwali police station in-charge Ramsh Prasad Singh said, “Education department official Rajeev Ranjan Prasad Singh has lodged a case in this connection.”

The case has been filed against Science toppers Saurabh Sreshtha, third topper Rahul Kumar and Arts topper Rubi Rai. All three are students of VR College.

The case has been registered under sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code. A SIT team also visited Vaishali district to interrogate the student who topped in Science examination.

The state government had on Monday dissolved a committee constituted by BSEB to probe into alleged irregularities.

The BSEB on Saturday had cancelled the results of the first and third toppers in the Science stream as both failed in their re-test, but decided to give another chance to the Arts topper to appear for a re-test on June 11.