CBI arrests Bansal's nephew, three more in bribery scam

The CBI Saturday arrested Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew Vijay Singla and three others here for allegedly taking a bribe to ensure the promotion of a top railway official.

Singla, a multi-millionaire businessman from Chandigarh who is Bansal's sister's son, his friend Sanjay Goyal and two others were taken by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team to New Delhi for investigation, sources in the agency here said.

Two others arrested, who have not been named so far, had carried the bribe money to Singla Friday evening.

Singla was accused of allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs.90 lakh from senior railway officer Mahesh Kumar for his (Kumar's) appointment as a member of the powerful Railway Board.

Kumar was appointed a member of the Railway Board May 2 by Bansal's ministry.

The CBI arrested Kumar from Mumbai airport Friday evening, soon after he landed there on a flight from New Delhi.

Kumar was being questioned by the CBI in Mumbai and is likely to be brought to New Delhi Saturday afternoon.

The CBI teams continued raids through Friday night on the palatial residence of Singla in Sector 28 here, located close to the residence of the railway minister.

Raids were also conducted at the residence of Goyal in Sector 16 and at the office premises of both Singla and Goyal. Documents, laptops and other items were taken away by the CBI.

CBI officials did not produce Singla and others in a court here.

CBI sources said the telephone calls of Singla, Kumar and others were being monitored for the last few days before the CBI decided to make the arrests.

Amid calls from political quarters for his sacking or resignation, Bansal distanced himself from the bribery scandal involving his nephew.

In a statement released in New Delhi, Bansal admitted that a "close relative" was arrested but claimed that he had no business dealings with his nephew.