Railway bribery case: CBI wanted to wait for second payment

Investigators wanted to wait for few more days before swooping down on Vijay Singla, the nephew of railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who was caught red handed with the first installment of the bribe money to swing a posting in favour of senior railway ministry official Mahesh Kumar. Rajesh Ahuja reports.

Investigators wanted to wait for few more days before swooping down on Vijay Singla, the nephew of railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who was caught red handed with the first installment of the bribe money to swing a posting in favour of senior railway ministry official Mahesh Kumar.

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The CBI has alleged that Mahesh Kumar, the member (staff) of railway board wanted to become member (electrical) as it was far more lucrative posting.

He struck a deal with Sandeep Goyal, a Chandigarh based railway contractor for Rs 10 crore.

Goyal promised to get the work done with the help of Vijay Singla. But the post of member (electrical) was to get vacant in the next two months.

Mahesh Kumar asked for additional charge of general manager railway and signal and telecommunication in the meanwhile.

Kumar had been promoted as member (staff) of railway board from the post of general manager (Western Railway).

Goyal asked for a payment of Rs 2 crore for the additional charges.

The first installment of Rs 90 lakh was delivered to Goyal and Singla on Friday and the CBI sleuths caught them red-handed while counting cash.

According to sources, Mahesh Kumar, who will produced in the court of special CBI judge Swarna Kanta Sharma on Monday, was willing to pay money for the additional charge of general manager (western railway) as a general manager has the authority to clear contracts up to worth Rs 200 crore.

That's way Mahesh Kumar wanted to remain general manager of western railway before he could the post of member (electrical) of the railway board.