Rail Neer Scam: Rs 28 crore seized in CBI raids on railway caterers; two senior officials suspended

The two former Chief Commercial Managers Northern Railways (Catering division) were suspended in the wee hours of Saturday morning after CBI registered a case against them for allegedly showing favour to private firms which provided cheap packaged drinking water (PDW) to premium trains instead of the mandatory "Rail Neer".

The officers identified as Sandeep Silas and MS Chalia, posted as Chief Project Manager (FOIS) and Chief Claims officer, respectively, now might be facing arrest if the probe agency deems it necessary to question them. Silas has served as the private secretary to three former Union ministers including Oscar Fernandes, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ambika Soni.

According to sources the probe into their role has further widened after CBI recovered incriminating documents from the premises of private firms which were allegedly shown favour by the two officials. According to a CBI source, the probe agency is not only looking into the supply of bottled water, but also into restaurants located at railway stations that belonged to the catering firms which were in the good books of the officials. The agency is also looking into the catering products and food served in premium trains including Shatabdi and Rajdhani express.

"The accused public servants allegedly did not take any action against the private parties providing catering services in the premium trains despite repeated requests of IRCTC for non-picking of allotted quota of "Rail Neer" by private caterers and directions of Railway Board to ensure supply of "Rail Neer" PDW in premium trains, thereby causing undue pecuniary advantage to the private parties and corresponding loss to IRCTC," said Devpreet Singh, CBI spokesperson.

On Friday the probe agency conducted searches on premises of at least seven private firms based in Delhi and recovered Rs20 crores in cash. CBI officials told dna that the amount that has been recovered has increased to a whopping Rs28 crores. "The money was stuffed in 27 large bags and hidden in various locations raided by the agency," said a CBI official.

The companies booked by CBI are RK Associates Pvt Ltd, Satyam Caterers Pvt Ltd, Ambuj Hotel and Real Estate, PK Associates Pvt Ltd, Sunsine Pvt Ltd, Brandavan Food Product and Food World, under Prevention of Corruption Act.
"A large number of incriminating documents have also been recovered," said the CBI spokesperson.

Officials told dna that the most of the money was recovered from the residence of Shyam Bihari Agrawal, his sons Abhishek Agrawal and Rahul Agarwal, who own RK Associates and Brandavan Food Product World.

"Mr Agarwal was a small-time businessman in Chhattisgarh nearly two decades ago. Examination of accounts of one his firms shows that he has a turnover of more than Rs500 crore," said a CBI official privy to the investigation. According to the official, the close relations Agarwal shared with senior officials of the railways had helped him to accumulate vast sums of money.

According to officials, the Railway Board had prescribed that IRCTC shall provide "Rail Neer" at a rate of rupees 10.50 per bottle to the private caterers who in return would be paid rupees 15 per bottle for supplying the same to the passengers in premium trains . The private caterers however in order to obtain undue gain were allegedly supplying cheap PDW brands, instead of "Rail Neer", which were available in the market at a rate Rs5.70 to Rs7 per bottle. The agency said the total amount of loss to the exchequer is yet to be calculated