The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a charge-sheet against two former Chief Commercial Managers (Catering), Northern Railways, New Delhi, the CEO and Director both of Delhi based private firm, their said private firm of Delhi and eight other private firms based at Delhi, Mumbai and Bhopal under sections 120-B and 420 of the IPC and Sections 13(2) and 13(1) (d) of the PC Act, 1988 and substantive offences thereof before the Special Judge, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi for causing an alleged loss of Rs 19.55 crore (approx) to the Northern Railways.
A case was registered on October 14 against the two, then Chief Commercial Managers (Catering), Northern Railways, New Delhi and pprivate firms on the allegations that the accused had shown favour to these private firms in supply of cheap packaged drinking water (PDW) other than mandatory “Rail Neer” in premium trains including Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express.
During searches at various places including Delhi/Noida etc at the residence and official premises of private caterers, huge cash of about `28.5 crore (approx) was recovered. A large number of incriminating documents were also recovered from the premises of accused.
Investigation has revealed that during the period from January 01 2013 to December 31, 2014, the licensee caterers had allegedly not picked up Rail Neer as per quota prescribed by IRCTC and supplied other cheap brands of Packaged Drinking Water which were not allowed in Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains.
They had allegedly claimed reimbursement from Northern Railways as was prescribed for supply of Rail Neer. As per Railway agreement/guidelines except Rail Neer, no other brand of PDW was approved by the Railway for supply in Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains originating from Delhi. However, they were allegedly providing other cheap brands of PDW costing `5 to 7 per bottle (approx) and claiming `15 per bottle (approx) from the Railways. It has been revealed that there was an alleged undue gain of Rs 19.55 crore (approx) to the contractors / licensee and loss to the Govt exchequer in Northern Railways.