Patna: The Patna High Court has sought a report from the state government on the disappearance of over 42,000 answer sheets of Class X examination conducted by the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB).
A divisional bench comprising Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Rajiv Ranjan Prasad took cognisance of the matter on Friday after newspapers highlighted the issue. The court has sought a report from the government in a month. Advocate Deenu Kumar told the court that large-scale irregularities have allegedly been committed by BSEB officials and sought immediate intervention of the court. The advocate said the results of the examination had been deferred for a week because of the missing of the answer sheets after evaluation.
The special investigation team (SIT) of Gopalganj police, meanwhile, on Friday found around 200 empty bags from a deserted place adjacent SS Girls Senior Secondary School in Gopalganj. The team also picked up a senior assistant of the school, Prafulla Kumar Rai, for interrogation in connection with the disappearance of the answer sheets of Class X examination from the institute's premises.
A police team led by additional superintendent of police Neeraj Kumar searched the school for the third consecutive day on Friday. The members of the team later found 200 empty bags from a bush near the school. The police suspected that the bags were abandoned on the spot after the answer sheets were taken away by the criminals from the strong room after evaluation.
Another team comprising sub-inspectors Braj Bhushan and Rajesh Singh - interrogated Prafulla Kumar Rai for over three hours at an undisclosed location. Rai was not in good terms with principal Pramod Kumar Rai. Sources said the two were at loggerheads over admission of students. Prafulla's name figured in the FIR lodged by the principal.
Gopalganj superintendent of police Rasheed Zaman said the police would crack the case soon. "We are on the job and hope to solve the mystery behind the incident in a day or two," he said, adding that so far over two dozen suspects have been questioned in connection with the case.
BSEB chairman Anand Kishor said the police investigation was underway and the truth will come out soon. "Those found guilty, be it the employees of the school or the board, will not be spared," he told reporters in Patna on Friday.
Kishor said the SIT has important leads in the case. Raids were conducted in Gopalganj, Patna and Uttar Pradesh to nab the culprits. The night guard and the peon of the school were arrested two days ago and sent to jail.
Compartmental examThe BSEB on Friday announced that the Intermediate compartmental examination will be held from July 9 to 16.
