Patna, June 23: Bachcha Rai, the alleged kingpin of the intermediate toppers scam, had good connections not only in the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) but also among the top echelons of the Bhim Rao Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur.

This is evident from the fact that the university authorities had recommended affiliation to five colleges owned by Bachcha - four degree and one BEd institution - in Vaishali district. The recommendations were sent to the state government for approval after the university senate put its seal on the proposals at its meeting on March 19 this year.

The senate meeting was held on the order of BRA Bihar University vice-chancellor Pandit Palande. The agenda adopted bore the signature of the registrar, Ratnesh Mishra.

The institutions owned by Bachcha that are awaiting affiliation nod from the government are Siyawati Lalmuni Kuldeep Degree College at Krishnawara (Basatpur), Patepur; Thakur Devi Ramchandra Rajdev Bauwaji Roy Degree College, Sathiauta, Patepur; Rajdev Rai Degree College, Kiratpur (Bhagwanpur); Rajdev Rai Degree College, Chehrakalan (Mahua) and Bishun Rajdev BEd College, Kiratpur (Bhagwanpur).

These institutions owned by Bachcha and his Vishun Roy Trust are in addition to the Vishun Roy Intermediate College, Kiratpur (Bhagawanpur), Vaishali, which also houses a CBSE school by the name of RD Rai Public School and a BEd college on the campus.

Sources in the BRA Bihar University said the proposals were passed by the senate on the basis of verification reports submitted by a committee comprising inspector of colleges (science) Sunil Kumar Rai and inspector of colleges (arts and commerce) R.P. Gupta. The list of the colleges selected for affiliation also contained the signature of registrar Mishra.

Bachcha's clout in the university could be gauged from the fact that the proposals for affiliation of his colleges were not placed before the syndicate, which met on March 13 this year, but were sent separately to the members to get their signatures on the agenda. Normally, such proposals are first approved by the university syndicate and then placed before the senate for approval.

"All the rules were thrown to the wind to help Bachcha and approve the proposals of his institutions," BRA Bihar University syndicate member Harendra Kumar told The Telegraph on Thursday.

"Had the scandal not surfaced, Bachcha would have succeeded in getting all his colleges affiliated to the BRA Bihar University," Harendra added.

Bachcha had tried getting affiliation for his colleges earlier as well. However, he couldn't succeed as the then pro vice-chancellor of the university, Neelima Sinha, had vehemently opposed it. Her protests didn't go down well in the university circles and she was transferred to LN Mishra Sanskrit University, Darbhanga, said a senior teacher of the university who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Alarmed over the recent developments, the BRA Bihar University has decided to hold a meeting on June 25 on whether to cancel the recommendations made to the government for affiliation of Bachcha's colleges. "We will hold a meeting on Saturday to discuss the issues related to grant of affiliation to Bachcha Rai's institutions," VC Palande told The Telegraph.

Soon after the scandal came to the fore, Phalande had constituted a three-member committee to probe the allegations against Bachcha's colleges. "The committee is yet to submit its report to the university," the VC said.

When contacted, proctor of the university Satish Kumar Rai, who is also the in-charge of the affiliation committee, said findings of the panel to verify the documents and other criteria for grant of affiliation to colleges would be submitted to the vice-chancellor today (Thursday).

Bachcha had also planned to set up a deemed university known as Lord Buddha R.D.R. L. M. Bihar University, Bhagwanpur in Vaishali district.

The investigations have further revealed that wards of some of the university employees too benefited from Bachcha's influence in the BSEB. Their sons and daughters' names figured in the list of the 10 toppers of VR College, Karatpur (Bhagwanpur) in Vaishali district, which is in the eye of the storm.