Patna, July 15: Bachcha Rai, one of the alleged masterminds of the Intermediate topper scam, had been promised a sum of Rs 15 lakh by Ajay Singh, the father of absconding science topper Saurabh Shreshtha, police said today.

Ajay, an established contractor by profession, was arrested by the special investigation team (SIT) late last night from a room in an under-construction apartment located off Bhoothnath Road. He is the first family member of a topper to be arrested in the scam.

Police said Ajay's initial interrogation has revealed that Bachcha, the founder-principal of Vishun Roy College, Vaishali, had taken an undertaking in writing from the contractor that he would pay Rs 15 lakh once his son was declared the science topper of the Intermediate exam.

"The boy (Saurabh) completed his Class 10 from RPS College in Patna after which his father wanted him to pursue medicine. They were looking for a college from where Saurabh could do his intermediate when Ajay came in touch with Bachcha Rai. One of Ajay's family members is a resident of Panchgamia village of Lalganj in Vaishali, Bachcha's native place. Bachcha asked Ajay to admit Saurabh in his college and assured him that the boy would get very good marks in the intermediate examinations. Ajay agreed and demanded that Saurabh should be the science topper. Bachcha agreed and asked for Rs 15 lakh. Ajay paid Bachcha Rs 5 lakh in advance and assured him that the rest of the money would be paid once the result was published. Bachcha made Ajay sign on a blank piece of paper so that he would not back out," Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj, who is heading the SIT, told The Telegraph today.

Ajay had twice unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections - in 2000 and 2005 - as an Independent candidate. His wife Usha Singh is the mukhiya from Panchgamia.

Before moving to Patna, Saurabh studied at Varanasi along with his elder sister, who is at present a medical student.

"Ajay is a well-established contractor by profession and owns a company named Buddha Constructions. He has flats in five apartments in Patna at Phulwarisharif, Kankerbagh and Bhoothnath Road. He was constantly changing locations from one flat to another and also was hiding in Varanasi for some time. He was arrested from an under-construction apartment that he was building. His revelations show the dark side of education and what high expectations of parents, for which they are ready to go to any limits, can do to the future of students," another SIT member told The Telegraph on condition of anonymity.

Police sources said Ajay had told them his son is in Shimla and will appear before them shortly.

The police have further learnt that Bachcha Rai, his father and brother would be present in the college examination and evaluation centres from morning till evening without being stopped by anyone. Once the results came out and Saurabh was declared the topper, Bachcha called up Ajay to say that his son had stood first and he was sending a few media persons so that Saurabh could be interviewed about his success. However, before Ajay could pay the entire sum, the scandal surfaced. Bachcha's plan was to first extract the full amount from Ajay and then make his daughter Shalini, who too is absconding, the topper in the science stream following a re-evaluation," the SIT officer said.