The main accused in Bihar's infamous 'topper scam', Amit Kumar, alias 'Bachcha' Rai, has been fielded as a candidate by Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) for the Bihar assembly elections.
Rai filed his nomination on Thursday for the Mahua assembly constituency in Vaishali district.
According to AIMIM sources, Bachcha Rai joined the party on September 28.
His candidature was reportedly secured after he met AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi during the latter's visit to the Seemanchal region last month, when he was assured of the nomination.
Rai's entry is expected to intensify the electoral contest in Mahua as it pits him against Tej Pratap Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's estranged elder son, who is contesting the seat for his newly formed party.
Bachcha Rai was named the alleged mastermind behind the 2016 Bihar 'topper scam'.
He was then the director-principal of the V R College in Vaishali, the institution at the centre of the controversy.
The scandal erupted when four students from the college -- Ruby Rai, Sourabh Shrestha, Rahul Kumar and Shalini -- who had topped the state's Class 12 examinations, were 'exposed' on local television for their unfamiliarity with their chosen subjects of study.
A subsequent police investigation alleged that Rai had turned V R College into a 'shop' for 'guaranteed successful results' and manufactured toppers with assistance from Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) officials.
Bachcha Rai was arrested and imprisoned although he is currently out on bail.
The Enforcement Directorate raided his residence where they reportedly recovered nearly ₹3 crore in cash and documents related to land purchases. The ED later seized his property in 2018.
Rai became the principal of V R College, named after his grandfather Vishun Roy, in 1999, at the age of 19!
It was alleged that he passed the Class 12 examination in 1998, secured a post-graduate degree in just 13 months, and subsequently became principal.
Reports indicate Rai passed the Class 10 exam in 1994 and enrolled in V R College, but failed the Class 12 examination in 1996 and 1997, before securing a first division in the science stream on his third attempt.
Rai's father Rajdeo Rai, who is said to be close to some Bihar politicians, unsuccessfully contested elections to the Bihar legislative council.
Besides V R College, Rai runs three other educational institutions -- two degree colleges and a high school.
The V R college was set up in 1997-1998 by Rajdeo Rai in his father's name.
In the early 2000s, the college started producing first division results and students with high scores.
The students' startling performances in the mid-2000s brought it both limelight and controversy.
In 2005, then BSEB chairman Nageshwar Sharma ordered a scrutiny of V R College results, after which 380 students with first division results were relegated to the second division; only four first division results were deemed genuine.
The V R College results were reviewed again in 2007.
The college produced toppers in 2014, 2015 and 2016, which came as a surprise for many government colleges and plus-two schools in Bihar with NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) grading.
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
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