Court issues bailable warrants against two senior Rly officers

A Delhi court has issued bailable warrants against two senior Railway officers for their failure to comply with its directions in a 1990 corruption case and chiding them for having no respect for courts and administration of justice.
The court issued warrants against Divisional Railway Manager (Commercial) and Senior Divisional Personnel officer of the Northern Railway and sought their personal appearance on January 18 after one of them failed to appear before it to submit an explanation sought by it.
Directing that the warrants be summoned through the Railway Board Chairman, Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal said "the Chairman of Railway Board is directed to spare some valuable time from seemingly busy schedule of these officers for their assistance in the court, as it appears that both these senior railway officers have either no time or no respect for the court order/work or administration of justice, which is a matter of grave concern for the rule of law."

The judge issued bailable warrant of Rs 5000 with one surety of the like amount against DRM Commercial (Northern Railway) and Senior Divisional Personnel Officer and directed both to appear in person on the next date of hearing "without fail for their explanation in the matter."
The court had earlier directed DRM to appear before it in person and explain as to why no report was submitted before it regarding summons issued to some prosecution witnesses.
It had taken strong exception to the appearance of another officer, instead of the one concerned, with the judge rejecting the explanation of DRM (Commercial) for his non- appearance terming it unsatisfactory.

The court was hearing a case lodged against Gopi Chand, then Commercial Superintendent in Northern Railways, on allegations that he had demanded Rs 500 bribe from one Leela Dhar in 1990 for reopening his stall which was shut down by Disposables and Catering Supplies (DCS) for 15 days.
Dhar had lodged a complaint with the CBI and a trap was laid and 78-year-old Chand, a resident of Sonipat, was allegedly caught accepting the bribe money.
The court is presently recording prosecution evidence in the case.