'MAMATA RAIL SCAM NOW, UNDER CBI SCANNER'

By Richa Rai / Kolkata

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is widening the ambit of its probe into the railway bribery scandal, with the agency scrutinising some of the top- level appointments in the railways over the last four years.

In a move that could lead to a face- off between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, the CBI has seized documents related to some appointments that took place during the tenure of Mamata Banerjee and other TMC leaders as railway minister.

Sources say the phone intercepts involving suspended Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s nephew Vijay Singla, his associates Sandeep Goyal and Ajay Garg have references to a few old appointments.
All four, along with five others, have already been arrested.

Incidentally, CBI chief Ranjit Sinha headed the Railway Protection Force during Mamata’s tenure as railway minister, and was moved out on her insistence.

The CBI wants to understand the pattern of appointments made in the board over the last few years. This is necessary, sources say, to understand the role of the railway minister in the appointments.

The CBI is also trying to ascertain the protocol of handing the additional charge to board members.

This is significant because Kumar, who was initially being appointed member ( staff), was not interested in the post. He was allegedly eyeing the position of member ( electrical) that would get vacant in June. It is alleged that he had agreed to pay ` 10 crore for the post. An initial payment of ` 90 lakh was made when the agency busted the plot.

“ It’s significant to understand how some appointments took place in the past. We have gathered documents related to some of the appointments. If the need be, some senior officials can also be questioned,” a CBI officer said.

The CBI could also book other railway officials and relatives of Kumar, including his wife, for destroying evidence.

The CBI is also looking into the role of RPF’s inspector general for Western Railway, Mahim Swamy.

According to CBI officials, it was Swamy who instructed one RPF inspector to carry out two suitcases, filled with documents, from Kumar’s residence and destroy them to save Kumar and others.