Bokaro recruitment scam: CBI to quiz Paswan after polls

CBI is likely to wait for the general elections to be over before calling former Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan for examination in connection with alleged irregularities in the appointments in Bokaro Steel plant.

CBI sources said they have already questioned his personal staff in connection with the case and Paswan might be summoned after the elections.

The role of Paswan has come under the scanner of the agency following recovery of some documents which, agency sources claimed, indicate that his staff may have been actively involved in extending favours to some candidates.

Paswan has denied allegations.

In January, CBI had registered two separate cases related to alleged irregularities in the appointments in the middle and junior management level in the public sector undertaking in 2008 in which a former Executive Director of the plant and other former senior officers have also been named as accused.

The sources said the agency has named Junior Managers S M Razi, Rajkumar Jatia and Yogesh Chandra Patnaik. They are relatives of a former Governor, a former Union minister, who is now a Rajya Sabha candidate, and a former High Court judge respectively as accused in the FIRs.

Paswan was Union minister for chemicals, fertilizers and steel during the UPA government between May 2004 and May 2009 and these allegedly fraudulent appointments were made during his tenure.

‘Such actions cannot be taken at the level of lower rung staff without the approval of the minister concerned. We may question him (Paswan) in this connection. A final decision when the questioning would take place may be taken as the probe progresses,’ a senior CBI official said.

The sources said documents submitted by some successful candidates have Paswan’s seals, his official address 12, Janpath and supporting letters from his staff recommending their names for the position in the Bokaro steel plant.