Charges framed against Singla in railway bribery case

A court here Tuesday framed corruption charges against former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew Vijay Singla and nine other accused in a railway bribery case.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Swarna Kanta Sharma framed charges of criminal conspiracy under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against all 10 accused in the case.

The court fixed Aug 25 for commencement of recording of evidence.

The accused in the Rs.10 crore cash-for-post case include Singla, suspended Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar, alleged middlemen Sandeep Goyal, Samir Sandhir, Sushil Daga, Ajay Garg, Rahul Yadav, businessman Manjunath and his aides M.V. Murli Krishan and Venugopal.

The court said that Mahesh Kumar between January 2013 to May 3, 2013, while working in various capacities - as general manager of Western Railway and member of the Railway Board - "had demanded illegal gratification of Rs.2 crore" and had accepted part of it from his co-accused.

The court said it has found substantive evidence against Singla under the Prevention of Corruption Act (taking gratification, for exercise of personal influence with public servant).

The court said the CBI has filed details regarding the trail of money that was the source of bribe, how it was collected and the conspiracy as to how accused Manjunath mobilised the bribe amount from various sources.

It said that some people had refused to be part of the conspiracy after they were told that accused Mahesh Kumar will award them contracts after becoming Railway Board member (electrical).

The court also said there was continuous conversation between Yadav and Manjunath and between Venugopal, Sandhir and Daga regarding the conspiracy.