By Niticentral Staff on May 4, 2013
In a huge embarrassment for the UPA Government, the CBI on Friday arrested Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s nephew for accepting Rs 90 lakh in bribe from a senior railway officer seeking ‘a lucrative posting’.
According to Senior CBI officials, the Minister’s nephew V Singla was arrested in Chandigarh for accepting the money from one Manjunath, an alleged middleman for Railway Board Member (staff) Mahesh Kumar.
Kumar allegedly wanted the position as Member (Electrical), which falls vacant on July 1.
He was was arrested in Mumbai by a CBI team soon after he had flown in from Delhi. CBI has registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC against him.
The other person arrested by the CBI was Sandip Goyal, who allegedly assisted in brokering the deal.
Bansal, who was in the capital, avoided the media despite repeated attempts to contact him. Searches were carried out by the CBI in Delhi, Chandigarh and other cities, the officials said.
Besides Kumar and Singla, CBI has also slapped charges against Goyal and Manjunath under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC, the officials said.
It was also reported that the new post would have given him the power to influence advanced signalling and telecom contracts worth Rs. 2,300 crore,” a CBI officer, who didn’t wish to be identified, said.
The deal was allegedly struck for Rs 2-crore and Rs. 90 lakh was the first installment.
The Railway Board is the highest decision-making body of the Indian Railways.
Manjunath, who appeared to have mobilised the money on behalf of Kumar, has also been named in the FIR along with one Sandeep Goyal.
In an operation kept under wraps, CBI kept a tab on Kumar’s movements and phone calls and swooped down on Singla at the time of bribe payment.
Both Singla and Manjunath were taken to the CBI office in the city where they were placed under arrest.
Kumar was General Manager (Western railways) and promoted recently as Member Railway Board, a post equivalent to Secretary in Government of India.
According to the reports, the Railway Minister has distanced himself from his nephew, who has been arrested by CBI last night in a case of bribery for allegedly fixing a top level position in Railway Board.
Railway Minister P K Bansal on Saturday said he had no business links with him and denied any wrongdoing.
In a statement, 64-year-old Bansal, who was made Railway Minister in October last year, claimed he has always observed highest standards of probity in public life and that nobody can influence his decisions.
He also sought an expeditious CBI inquiry into the issue.
“Regarding Friday’s incident involving my sister’s firm in a CBI raid at Chandigarh, I have to say that I have no knowledge or proof about the matter at all. Though a close relative, he or any other relative of mine does not and cannot meddle in my official function or influence my decision. There is also no business relationship between his and my family.
“I have always observed highest standard of probity in public life and look forward to an expeditious investigation by CBI in the matter”, he said in the statement.
Meanwhile, BJP and Forward Bloc have demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Pawan Bansal over the bribegate.
(With inputs from agencies)
http://www.niticentral.com/2013/05/04/bribegate-strikes-upa-government-73395.html