CBI Detains Trio in Bribery Scandal Involving Northern Railway Officials and Private Supplier
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Synopsis
The CBI has arrested three individuals in a bribery case involving Northern Railway officials and a private vendor, with significant cash and assets recovered during the investigation, highlighting a network of corruption.
Key Takeaways
- Three arrests made in Northern Railway bribery case.
- Bribe amount: Rs 7 lakh linked to favoritism.
- Significant assets seized including cash and gold.
- Investigation reveals a corruption network.
- Seven individuals are implicated in the case.
New Delhi, April 7 (NationPress) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken into custody three individuals, which include a Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer (Sr DEE) and a Senior Section Engineer (SSE), both affiliated with the Northern Railway, alongside a private vendor, as part of a significant bribery investigation.
The detentions occurred right after a bribe of Rs 7 lakh was exchanged. This sum was purportedly offered to the officials in return for granting favors to a private firm based in Delhi that is connected to the vendor.
The apprehended individuals are identified as Saket Chand Srivastava, Senior DEE, and Tapendra Singh Gurjar, SSE, both working in the DRM Office of Northern Railway in New Delhi, along with Gautam Chawla, a private vendor linked to M/s Vatsal Infotech Private Limited, Delhi. CBI representatives assert that the officers solicited and accepted the bribe to benefit the company, which included issuing work orders and settling outstanding invoices for various private entities.
Along with the arrests, CBI personnel executed numerous searches at nine locations, encompassing the residential and official sites of the implicated officers. These searches yielded substantial assets, including Rs 63.85 lakh in cash, gold bars and jewelry valued around Rs 3.46 crore, and various documents regarding property ownership, mobile devices, laptops, hard drives, and confirmations of bribe payments.
Ongoing investigations uncovered a locker owned by the wife of Sr DEE Saket Chand Srivastava, where additional gold items and bars exceeding Rs 2.5 crore were found. The seized assets and gathered evidence have significantly broadened the investigation's scope, which continues, according to agency officials.
The CBI has filed a case involving seven suspects, encompassing the arrested officials and private vendors, in addition to the companies tied to the accused. The individuals listed in the FIR include:
Saket Chand Srivastava – Senior DEE (Gen.), DRM Office, New Delhi (arrested)
Tapendra Singh Gurjar – SSE, Electrical – G Branch, DRM Office, New Delhi (arrested)
Arun Jindal – SSE (In-Charge of Tender Section), Electrical – G Branch, DRM Office, New Delhi
Gautam Chawla – M/s Vatsal Infotech Private Limited, Delhi (arrested)
M/s Vatsal Infotech Private Limited, Delhi
Saket Kumar – Director, M/s Shivmani Enterprises Private Limited, Ghaziabad
M/s Shivmani Enterprises Private Limited, Ghaziabad
Other unidentified private individuals and public servants
The investigation has revealed a corruption network involving several persons and entities, with public officials allegedly accepting illicit payments for unfair benefits.
