Bansal’s role under CBI scanner
7 May 2013 6:04 PM IST
CBI is likely to seek clarifications from Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in connection with the alleged bribery scandal related to posting of suspended Railway Board Member (Staff) Mahesh Kumar involving Minister’s nephew Vijay Singla.
CBI sources said agency is questioning Singla and his associates to understand ‘the role of authority which was supposed to change Kumar’s discipline from Member (staff) to Member (Electrical) and allow him to continue with additional charge of GM (West).’
Sources in the Railway Ministry said the lateral shifting of the Board members is done in the same manner as the appointment of the new member which is finalised after vigilance clearance and the nod of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
However, they said, the authority allowing a board member to retain additional charge is the Railway Minister.
Sources in the CBI said so far there is no evidence of any money trail which leads to Bansal but added that probe has just begun and ‘comprehensive investigation’ of the arrested accused would clear the picture.
They said that during surveillance of Singla’s phones, they have come across phone intercepts, which show that he was in regular touch with officials close to the minister.
CBI sources said agency has not come to any conclusion on the complicity of these officials in the alleged bribery scandal involving Singla and Kumar but it is likely to seek their clarification on certain issues.
The agency sources said CBI has also got phone intercepts of Kumar which indicated that he would have been the main beneficiary if he had become Member (Electrical).
The agency has arrested nephew of Bansal, Singla, his associate Sandeep Goyal, Kumar besides some businessmen and delivery boys for alleged bribe payment of Rs 90 lakh to Singla.
The alleged payment was a part payment of Rs two crore alleged bribe amount agreed upon between middlemen Goyal and Kumar.
Goyal had allegedly promised Kumar to arrange the plum post of Member (Electrical) for Rs 10 crore, the sources said.
Goyal was in touch with Singla and another middleman Ajay Garg to secure the posting for Kumar.
MAHESH KUMAR SENT TO CBI CUSTODY TILL 9 MAY
Mahesh Kumar, suspended Railway Board member, who along with Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s nephew is an accused in the Rs 10 crore bribery case, was on Monday sent to CBI’s custody till 9 May by a Delhi court on the ground that his custodial interrogation is necessary to unravel the entire conspiracy. Special CBI Judge Swarana Kanta Sharma remanded Kumar, Member (Staff) Railway Board, in CBI’s custody, saying he is the “main person” in the case.
BJP ACTIVISTS PROTEST OUTSIDE RAILWAYS MINISTER’S RESIDENCE, CLASH WITH POLICE
BJP youth activists, including women, and police clashed outside Railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s residence here today during a protest demanding his resignation following the arrest of his nephew on the charge of accepting bribe to fix plum position in the Railway Board. Police resorted to use of water canons and force to disperse scores of BJP’s youth wing ‘Yuva Morcha’ activists, led by its national chief Anurag Thakur, who have gathered outside the 6-Ashoka Road residence of Bansal at around 6pm.
Around 100 protesters were detained from the spot where a large number of police personnel were deployed. Bansal’s residence is located opposite BJP’s national headquarters at 11-Ashoka Road.
The Ashoka Road leading to India Gate was blocked by the protesters as they marched towards Bansal’s residence holding party flags and placards and shouting slogans against the UPA government.
CBI sources said agency is questioning Singla and his associates to understand ‘the role of authority which was supposed to change Kumar’s discipline from Member (staff) to Member (Electrical) and allow him to continue with additional charge of GM (West).’
Sources in the Railway Ministry said the lateral shifting of the Board members is done in the same manner as the appointment of the new member which is finalised after vigilance clearance and the nod of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
However, they said, the authority allowing a board member to retain additional charge is the Railway Minister.
Sources in the CBI said so far there is no evidence of any money trail which leads to Bansal but added that probe has just begun and ‘comprehensive investigation’ of the arrested accused would clear the picture.
They said that during surveillance of Singla’s phones, they have come across phone intercepts, which show that he was in regular touch with officials close to the minister.
CBI sources said agency has not come to any conclusion on the complicity of these officials in the alleged bribery scandal involving Singla and Kumar but it is likely to seek their clarification on certain issues.
The agency sources said CBI has also got phone intercepts of Kumar which indicated that he would have been the main beneficiary if he had become Member (Electrical).
The agency has arrested nephew of Bansal, Singla, his associate Sandeep Goyal, Kumar besides some businessmen and delivery boys for alleged bribe payment of Rs 90 lakh to Singla.
The alleged payment was a part payment of Rs two crore alleged bribe amount agreed upon between middlemen Goyal and Kumar.
Goyal had allegedly promised Kumar to arrange the plum post of Member (Electrical) for Rs 10 crore, the sources said.
Goyal was in touch with Singla and another middleman Ajay Garg to secure the posting for Kumar.
MAHESH KUMAR SENT TO CBI CUSTODY TILL 9 MAY
Mahesh Kumar, suspended Railway Board member, who along with Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s nephew is an accused in the Rs 10 crore bribery case, was on Monday sent to CBI’s custody till 9 May by a Delhi court on the ground that his custodial interrogation is necessary to unravel the entire conspiracy. Special CBI Judge Swarana Kanta Sharma remanded Kumar, Member (Staff) Railway Board, in CBI’s custody, saying he is the “main person” in the case.
BJP ACTIVISTS PROTEST OUTSIDE RAILWAYS MINISTER’S RESIDENCE, CLASH WITH POLICE
BJP youth activists, including women, and police clashed outside Railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s residence here today during a protest demanding his resignation following the arrest of his nephew on the charge of accepting bribe to fix plum position in the Railway Board. Police resorted to use of water canons and force to disperse scores of BJP’s youth wing ‘Yuva Morcha’ activists, led by its national chief Anurag Thakur, who have gathered outside the 6-Ashoka Road residence of Bansal at around 6pm.
Around 100 protesters were detained from the spot where a large number of police personnel were deployed. Bansal’s residence is located opposite BJP’s national headquarters at 11-Ashoka Road.
The Ashoka Road leading to India Gate was blocked by the protesters as they marched towards Bansal’s residence holding party flags and placards and shouting slogans against the UPA government.
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