Bihar: Education Mafia Grabs Land Seized By ED To Build School, FIR Registered

HAJIPUR – The land and property, usually confiscated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in pursuit of dishonest and corrupt individuals nationwide, have fallen into the hands of the education mafia, paving the way for the establishment of an intermediate school.

This case originates from the Bhagwanpur block in Vaishali district, where Bacha Rai, the mastermind behind the 2016 Intermediate Topper scam, has gradually taken control of the land and other assets seized by the ED. Rai claimed possession of the confiscated building, engaged in unauthorized construction, and applied to the Bihar Board for approval to open an intermediate school.

Remarkably, the Bihar Board conducted an investigation before granting recognition. These developments came to light when ED Assistant Director Rajiv Ranjan filed an FIR at the Bhagwanpur police station to reclaim these properties.

The High Court expressed surprise that Bachcha Rai has not been arrested.

Amit, alias Bachha Rai, had been in jail since his 2016 arrest and went into hiding after a two-week bail release in 2019. The High Court noted on October 9 of this year that Bachha Rai had been freely roaming outside jail for the past four years without facing arrest—a surprising revelation.

Following the exposure of the Intermediate Topper scam in 2016, the ED cracked down on several individuals, including the education mafia figure Bacha Rai, seizing land, buildings, and properties. Initially, it was uncovered how individuals like Bacha Rai operated a ‘topper scheme’ for monetary gains. However, recent revelations indicate that Bacha Rai has been reclaiming properties seized by the ED since 2019. In a building seized by the ED, Bacha Rai has erected a board announcing the establishment of a +2 school. Despite government and board regulations, he boldly states that recognition has been sought from the board.

The Education Department appears oblivious and indifferent to this matter, tarnishing the credibility of the department. The process of granting recognition to the new school on the contested land is underway, with investigations initiated only at the board’s behest.

“There is no such case in my knowledge,” stated Vaishali DEO Birendra Narayan, emphasizing that investigations are conducted based on the board’s directives, and his office lacks information about the land seized by the ED.

Sadar SDPO Om Prakash confirmed that an FIR has been filed at the Bhagwanpur police station, detailing ED’s claims that Bachha Rai is constructing on land seized by ED. Now construction has been halted.