The CBI on Tuesday conducted searches at the premises of arrested Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar and claimed to have recovered property documents and diamond jewellery of “substantial value” which were removed from his residence soon after his arrest on Sunday from Mumbai airport.
The agency received a tip-off that some property related documents, passbooks and jewellery were removed from his official residence by his household members soon after the news of his arrest, CBI sources said.
The sleuths tracked the location of these items and documents after questioning local taxi drivers and family members of Kumar. Based on the inputs, searches were carried out at a residential flat in Mumbai-suburb Bhayander from where the seized items were recovered.
The recovered items include documents of four properties, gold and diamond jewellery besides fixed deposits including Kisan Vikas Patra.
Kumar was arrested by the agency for allegedly paying Railway Minister PK Bansal’s nephew Vijay Singla Rs90 lakh through a Bangalore-based businessman for managing a coveted post in the Railway Board.
The alleged appointment racket in the railways was uncovered by the CBI following interception of 1,000 phone calls over the last three months leading to the arrest of seven persons so far.
The agency, meanwhile, has received the service records of Kumar to probe if his last appointment including the additional charge for the post of general manager (Western Railway) and Signal and Telecommunication was in order. The sleuths are examining if his posting orders were issued in compliance of the existing rules.
On questioning of Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, CBI sources said the agency is gathering evidence and the question will arise only if there is a strong evidence of his complicity. The sources further clarified that the ambit of the present case is limited to the investigation of the agency’s trap in which Kumar and alleged middlemen were arrested.
Middleman Sandeep Goyal had allegedly promised Kumar to arrange the plum post of Member (Electrical) in Railway Board in return for promised Rs10 crore, which needed time till the retirement of present members, according to the FIR.
Kumar allegedly approached Goyal for managing additional charge of general manager, Western Railway and Signal and Telecommunication to be retained by him till his appointment as a Member (Electrical) is done.
Goyal allegedly demanded Rs2 crore as bribe immediately for this interim arrangement and said the balance of Rs10 crore for his appointment to the post of Member (Electrical) may be paid later.