Bihar board 'topper' Ruby Rai arrested after appearing for re-test

Ruby Rai, who topped Bihar's Class 12 exams in the Arts stream this year and was accused of cheating earlier this month, has been arrested by the Special Task Force investigating the case. M I Khan/Rediff.com reports from Patna.

Bihar class 12 board ‘topper’ Ruby Rai, who had triggered a controversy by telling a television channel political science pertained to cooking, was arrested on Saturday after appearing before the Bihar School Examination Board for a re-test.

"Police have arrested Ruby Rai when she finally appeared in a re-test at Bihar School Examination Board," a police official said.

She was missing after her name came to limelight following BSEB toppers’ scam was exposed.

Ruby Rai failed to appear in a re-test on two occasions -- June 3 and June 17 -- despite multiple invitations from the board.

She reportedly informed the board that she is not well and unable to appear for the re-exam.

“Today was the third time when the board provided her chance to appear in re-test. She finally reached,” officials said.

Ruby scored 444 out of 500 marks in the Arts stream. The results of Ruby and other toppers had been put on hold following the scams exposed.

Special Investigation Team probing into the Bihar toppers scam has arrested her in the case as an FIR was lodged against her and three other toppers.

According to police officials, the Patna civil court has also issued a non-bailable warrant of arrest against four toppers including Rubi Rai.

Rubi Rai is student of infamous V R College in Vaishali district,known as centre of manufacturing toppers for last few years.

All 14 toppers of the board, except Rai, had earlier appeared for re-assessment before a panel of experts and the anti-corruption wing of the BSEB which tried to find out if they used impersonation, bribery or other fraudulent means to pass the exam.

The state government had ordered a SIT probe into the matter during which Bachcha Rai, the principal of BishunRoyCollege, was arrested besides four others.

The results of Rai and others were put on hold following the TV sting which suggested that education in Bihar continues to be a dubious affair with the possibility that cheating and fraud continue at a large scale.

The BSEB claimed this year that Class 12 exams were conducted free of cheating, citing a drastic fall in the pass percentage as the proof. Till last year, mass cheating in board exams was reported.

Former BSEB chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha Sinha were recently arrested in connection with the issue.