CBI questions railway board member over alleged corruption

New Delhi: CBI today questioned Railway Board member (electrical) Kul Bhushan in connection with its preliminary enquiry into alleged corrupt practices during his tenure. CBI sources said Kul Bhushan was asked to appear at the agency headquarters in connection with the preliminary enquiry, registered soon after bribery scandal involving former Railway Minister Pawan Bansal’s nephew had surfaced, which relates to several counts of alleged corrupt practices including purchase of ‘benami’ properties. [caption id=“attachment_1202825” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] CBI. IBNLive image[/caption] They said Kul Bhushan who arrived at the headquarters in the morning was subjected to intense questioning till very late in the evening. Kul Bhushan was not immediately available for reaction. The sources claimed that at several points during the questioning sessions, Kul Bhushan could not come up with satisfactory responses when he was confronted with documentary evidence. They said it is alleged that Kul Bhushan had acquired several ‘benami’ properties worth several crores from Railway contractors in lieu of favours promised to them. Citing one such instance, the sources claimed, that a flat worth Rs 1.80 crore was allegedly purchased as ‘benami property’ in Bangalore as an accommodation for his son. Kul Bhushan is also under CBI scanner for alleged corruption in a separate enquiry related to purchase of coaches for the Kolkata Metro. It is alleged that Kul Bhushan also helped in nurturing vendor cartels at Level II in RDSO which wanted to stop contractors from upgrading from Level I to Level II to maintain its monopoly in bagging contracts, the sources said. The sources said it is alleged in the enquiry that he helped a renowned-builder by granting relief in terms and condition for the development of Rail Land Development Authority prime land at Sarai Rohilla here. It is also alleged that he shared eligibility details of proposed Rs 150 crore Railway Signals factory at Chandigarh with the interested contractors at the very initial stage and sought partnership in exchange of favours extended to the contractors, CBI sources said. The sources said he alleegdly influencing transfers and postings in the railway with the help of middlemen and other private persons. PTI