CBI registers graft case against Railway official

CBI has registered an FIR against North Eastern Railway official Alok Singh for allegedly demanding Rs 20 lakh from an advertiser.
CBI has alleged in its FIR that the then Chief Public Relations Officer, Singh indulged in "corrupt practices".
It is alleged that Singh demanded bribe of Rs 20 lakh from Shiv Shankar Tiwari whose advertising firm was empanelled with NER, Gorakhpur to let him continue his business with Railways.
He received Rs six lakh as illegal gratification from Tiwari, the FIR alleged.
The agency has registered the FIR under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act against Singh and Tiwari.

The FIR, based on "reliable" inputs received by CBI, alleged that Tiwari also arranged two plots in Lucknow measuring 2500 sq ft in the name of Singh's mother.

Tiwari allegedly paid six lakh to coloniser as advance and paid Rs 2.50 lakh in instalments through five cheques drawn from his wife's account, the FIR said.
While three cheques worth Rs 1.50 lakh were cleared, two cheques could not be cleared because of insufficient account balance, it alleged.
When Tiwari could not complete the demand of Rs 20 lakh, his firm was empanelled for further business with Railways despite having could track record, the FIR alleged.

It alleged that the pending bills of Tiwari's firm were destroyed in "mysterious" fire in the railway office and payments were blocked in the absence of the bills.
However, they were released after intervention of senior officers.