Railway Board Member Kul Bushan faces CBI probe

Railway Board member Kul Bhushan faces CBI probe over cash-for-posts allegations

By Abhishek Bhalla
PUBLISHED: 21:21 GMT, 14 June 2013

The CBI probe into the cash-for-posts scandal in the railways involving former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew Vijay Singla is not limited to former Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar, now in Tihar jail.


Before Kumar came in the agency's crosshairs, investigators had stumbled upon conversations featuring member (electrical) Kul Bhushan allegedly striking deals with suspected middlemen.
CBI sources have told MAIL TODAY these conversations were about exchange of money and railway contracts. The CBI has registered a fresh Preliminary Enquiry (PE) to probe Bhushan's role.

Investigators stumbled upon conversations featuring Kul Bhushan allegedly striking deals with suspected middlemen (File photo for representation only)

The agency had sought the sanction of the railway ministry to begin its probe into the allegations. Sources say the permission was granted within two days of the request.

 

Railway Board member Kul Bhushan is under the CBI scanner for allegedly making deals with suspected middlemen

The CBI has in its possession intercepts of conversations Bhushan had with alleged railway middlemen.
"We were tapping his phones much before Kumar's. We were on the trail of a customs officer. While tracking his phone calls, we realised he was constantly speaking to a railway middleman. The trail led to Bhushan," said a senior CBI officer.
"There are some negotiations and deals being struck but the other person could not be identified," said the officer.
When contacted, Bhushan did not wish to speak on the ongoing investigation.
But with the CBI now registering a PE, all the aspects will be probed and sources said a regular case is likely to be registered.
CBI sources said the agency has come to know that Bhushan allegedly favoured a private builder in awarding a contract to develop a railway land.
They said Bhushan allegedly relaxed norms which helped the builder grab the contract worth several crores.