Railgate telephone intercepts genuine

In a boost to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s railway bribery probe, forensic tests have confirmed that the 1,000 telephonic intercepts allegedly featuring key accused — including suspended railway board member Mahesh Kumar and businessman Vijay Singla — were genuine.

In a boost to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s railway bribery probe, forensic tests have confirmed that the 1,000 telephonic intercepts allegedly featuring key accused — including suspended railway board member Mahesh Kumar and businessman Vijay Singla — were genuine.

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The tests were conducted at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory.

Confirming this a CBI source said, “These telephonic intercepts made by a special unit led to the cracking of the case and the forensic confirmation of their genuineness as evidence would strengthen our case against the accused in the trial stage.”

“We have enough other evidence, including disclosures made by the accused, to corroborate the contents of the intercepts,” he added.

Kumar and Singla, who is a nephew of former railway minister PK Bansal, were arrested on May 3 on allegations that they had struck a deal to fix a top post on the railway board for a bribe of Rs 10 crore of which Rs 90 lakh had been paid.