- Sub-standard drinking water in labelled Rail Neer supplied Premium trains including Shatabdi Express and Rajdhani Express
- Action taken only after recovery of Rs 20 crore cash during CBI raids
New Delhi/ Nagpur: Northern Railway administration suspended two senior railway officials on Saturday in Rail Neer scam, which was allegedly committed in supply of sub-standard drinking water in sealed bottles, named, Rail Neer, to rail passengers of premium trains, informed the Rail Mantralaya sources to media. The step of suspension was taken only after the CBI raids at 13 places and recovery of Rs 20 crore cash.
According to sources, the Rail Mantralaya earlier on Friday was brooding over suspending the officials, and it finally suspended the officials on Saturday, finding itself in tight compartment, and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu was helpless but to tweet the suspension.
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Wednesday 15 Jan. 2025
It may be mentioned that the CBI during its raids on two suspended officials and also at as may as 13 places of 7 private companies recovered Rs 20 crore cash. The raid was carried out due to alleged corruption in supply of sub-standard Rail Neer in premium trains.
CBI sources said, FIR has been lodged against two Chief Commercial Managers (PC&Catering) M S Chourasia and Sandeep Silas of Northern Railway. The CBI has also filed FIR against private companies which were in contract for supply of fresh water. These companies included R K Associates Private Limited, Satyam Caterers Private Limited, Ambuja Hotel and Real Estate, P K Associates Pvt Ltd, Sunshine Private Ltd, Vrindavan Food Products and Food World under the charges of Prevention of Corruption Act.
Reports say, Silas has served as a private secretary to a former Union Minister. The recovery of Rs 20 crore cash was made from the residences of Shyam Bihari Agrawal and his sons Abhishek Agrawal and Rahul Agrawal, all owners of R K Associates and Vrindavan Food Products. It is alleged that the accused supplied sub-standard drinking water in addition to labelled as Rail Neer to passengers of Premium trains including Shatabdi Express and Rajdhani Express, and thus profited the private water supply companies.
