CBI probes railway officials’ role in contracts

The CBI is probing the role of several senior officials of the railway ministry in connection with its investigations into the alleged irregularities committed in awarding contracts related to the construction of four railway bridges on Sultanpura-Hanumangarh-Sri Ganganagar (Jaipur) route in 2012.
According to sources, preliminary investigations by the agency have revealed that the senior officials of the concerned zone of the railway ministry allegedly awarded contracts for the construction of four bridges to the same private firm in 2012 which had earlier been disqualified by the zone officials. “Investigations have revealed that the earnest money of the suspected firm was forfeited by the railway officials when it failed to start the construction work of the same bridges in 2011,” sources said. “Again in 2012, the same firm was awarded the contract for the construction of these bridges when it quoted a high initial price. The CBI is examining the role of senior officials of the railway ministry also in this matter,” sources said. The agency (Delhi zone) recently registered a preliminary enquiry to probe the role of senior officials of the railway ministry in this regard, they added. Earlier, the CBI had registered a PE against six senior officials of the Western zone of the Indian Railways in June to probe their alleged role in the purported irregularities in the recruitment of lower level staff.
Role of senior officials of the railway ministry is being probed by the agency in connection with its investigations into this PE also (registered June), sources said.
Investigations revealed that some candidates were recruited overlooking their ineligibility for the post. “Recruitment of 15 candidates are under the scanner of the CBI.
Investigations also revealed that eligibility criteria, prescribed by the railway ministry, were tweaked by the suspected officials at the time of recruitment,” sources said.