Bihar toppers scam: Ruby Rai did not write copy herself

Police said that lab probed her handwriting sample

Ruby Rai, an accused in the Bihar toppers scam, did not write her examination copy herself but it was written by someone else, police said on Saturday on the basis of a forensic science lab report.

The lab probed her handwriting sample, police said. Ruby had reportedly 'topped' this year's Class 12 examination conducted by the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) in the humanities stream.

She scored 444 out of 500 marks but her result was cancelled when she failed a re-test conducted by the Board of Secondary Education. Ruby claimed she was innocent and has been the victim of a conspiracy.

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj, who is also heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the toppers scam, said a fresh FIR may be filed in the toppers scam case.

"After the report of the Forensic Science Laboratory that has made it clear that Ruby Rai has not written copy, the SIT may interrogate some of the main accused in the case again," he said.

Ruby got into trouble after a sting by a television news channel showed her giving ludicrous answers to elementary questions related to her subjects. She was detained in June by the SIT after the scam surfaced.

The sting suggested that the so-called toppers might have cheated in the examination. Following the sting, the SIT of Bihar Police registered an FIR against Ruby, Saurabh and three other 'toppers'.

After being detained, Ruby told police that it was one Bachcha chacha (uncle) and her father who helped her to score high marks. She was referring to Bachcha Rai, the alleged kingpin of the scam and former director of VR College.

Bachcha was arrested and is currently in jail.

Till date, over 20 persons have been arrested in connection with the scam, including former Chairman of BSEB Lalkeshwar Prasad and his wife Usha Sinha.