CBI has filed a supplementary chargesheet, adding a seventh accused in the alleged Chittaranjan Locomotive Works bribery case of ₹1.80 lakhs.
The case was registered by CBI on February 9, 2022, against six accused including Sonu Arora, Rajan Gupta – both directors of M/S EC Blades & Tools Pvt. Ltd, Chandigarh; Parveen Vyas, a proprietor of M/s Auspice Autocraft Pvt Ltd, Varanasi; his two employees Pawan Kumar Singh and Vinod Kumar; and Ravi Shekhar Sinha, the then principal Chief Material Manager, Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), Indian Railways, West Bengal and unknown public servants and private persons.
The next day, on February 10, 2022, CBI laid a trap at the residence of accused Ravi Shekhar Sinha where Sinha and Pawan were arrested for accepting and giving bribe of ₹1.80 lakh. Further, four accused Sonu Arora, Rajan Gupta, Praveen Vyas and Vinod Kumar were also arrested by the CBI.
On April 4, 2022, a chargesheet was filed against six accused.
Allegations
There are allegations that Sonu Aroa and Rajan Gupta, who were also approved vendor of Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), Indian Railways were in criminal conspiracy with different senior officers of railways for obtaining undue favour from them in the award of contract, processing of bills etc by paying illegal gratification.
The company was awarded the contract for the supply of 28 sets of Bogey frames to CLW on December 14, 2021.
The chargesheet mentions that Sonu and Rajan often used the services of one Praveen Vyas for contacting and delivering bribes to senior railway officers posted in remote locations.
{{/usCountry}}The chargesheet mentions that Sonu and Rajan often used the services of one Praveen Vyas for contacting and delivering bribes to senior railway officers posted in remote locations.
{{/usCountry}}Vyas, a UP resident runs his services in the name of /s Auspice Autocraft Pvt Ltd, Varanasi. He collects bribes on behalf of public servants from the beneficiary private companies for whom he negotiates the deals and delivers the demanded bribe to railway officers, chargesheet mentions.
During further investigation, CBI got to know that Ramesh Chand Dhiman joined M/s Kuteer Equipments Pvt Ltd, a sister concern of M/s TC Blades and Tools Pvt Ltd at Panchkula in July 2005 as office assistant and worked till February 2022. After registration of case, he did not join the company and was terminated.
Investigation established that in January 2022, Dhiman handed over the bribe of ₹4.34 lakhs to accused Vinod Kumar on directions of accused Sonu and Rajan Gupta.
The supplementary chargesheet mentions that he has not joined the investigation and is absconding. Stating that there was enough evidence against Dhiman’s role in the conspiracy, supplementary chargesheet was filed against him and six others under Section 120 B IPC read with Sections 7, 7A, 8 and 12 of PC Act by the CBI Chandigarh. CBI requested to summon him along with the other accused.