CBI might close inquiries in Railway appointments

CBI is likely to close the enquiries in the appointment and posting in the railways, registered by it last year, as it could not find legally tenable evidence in the matters.
Agency sources said probe in the matters might be closed as no concrete evidence has surfaced so far on the basis of which these preliminary enquiries could be converted into regular cases.
Based on sources information, the agency initiated inquiries into appointment and postings in the railway board and RPF last year as it was suspected that there were large scale irregularities in the railways.
The probe started by the agency were off-shoot of FIR registered against former Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar and nephew of former Railway Minister Pawan Bansal, Vijay Singla in which Kumar was allegedly trying to get posted as Member Electrical in the Board in lieu of Rs 10 crore bribe.

It was also alleged that the appointments in RPF and other railway bodies were not made on merits but by bribing senior railway babus or executives.
In one of the Preliminary Enquiries registered by CBI, former minister Bansal's Private Secretary Rahul Bhandari was named for allegedly interfering in transfer and posting matters of the Railway Ministry.
The agency had even grilled Bhandari, a 1997 batch IAS officer, in this regard.
CBI sources said they did not find much evidence and call would be taken soon by the investigation team whether to continue the probe or close them.