Role of an editor in railway appointments under CBI scanner

Accussed Suresh Tripathi describes inclusion in the inquiry as "vendetta" by CBI Director Ranjit Sinha

The role of a journalist has come under the scanner of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its fresh inquiry into the alleged corruption in the appointment and promotion of senior officers in Railways.

 

The agency has registered a fresh inquiry against unknown officers of railways and the editor of 'Paripurna Railway Samachar', Suresh Tripathi, who has described his inclusion in the inquiry as "vendetta" by CBI Director Ranjit Sinha.

 

CBI is probing allegations of corruption in the transfers and postings of senior officers in the ministry and involvement of middlemen in facilitating it for illegal gratification.

 

However, the allegations have been refuted by Tripathi who told PTI that he had no role in the transfers and postings of railway officers and he has been named in the inquiry as he had written against Sinha when he was Director General of Railway Protection Force (RPF).

 

The agency registered its inquiry after doing months of discreet field work during which it found that there was enough prima facie material to name Tripathi, CBI sources said.

 

They said the agency would soon call the editor for an examination in this connection.

 

Sources said that inputs about the alleged involvement of the journalist had surfaced as part of CBI inquiries which have been going on since June 2013, to look into alleged irregularities in the awarding of contracts and in the promotions of senior officers in the ministry during the tenure of former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

 

CBI is already conducting two inquiries into alleged corruption in appointment and promotions in the Railway Ministry which are off-shoots of the case registered against then Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar for allegedly giving bribe to Bansal's nephew, Vijay Singla to become member (electrical) in the Board.

 

In one of the inquiries, then PS of Bansal, Rahul Bhandari, has been named.