Continuing searches by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with a graft case, in which a senior Railway Engineering Service official, Mahendra Singh Chauhan, and four others have been arrested, has led to the seizure of over ₹2 crore, taking the total amount seized so far to ₹4.43 crore.“The cash was hidden in a hotel located at South Delhi’s Greater Kailash. It is linked to ABCI Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd.,” said a CBI official.
Hawala transfer
The CBI has also launched a probe into the “hawala” network that was used to transfer money by the accused persons. “Efforts are under way to identify all those who were part of the racket,” the official said. Given that the case may involve money laundering, the Enforcement Directorate may soon step in.
On Monday, the CBI had arrested the 1985-batch official, posted as the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in Construction-II unit of the North East Frontier Railway at Assam's Maligaon. The others arrested were Deputy Chief Engineer Hem Chand Borah; Assistant Executive Engineer Laxmi Kant Verma; Bhupendra Rawat, an employee of Guwahati-based ABCI Infrastructures; and the CAO's relative Indra Singh.
The alleged bribe amount was being delivered by the company employee at the Dehradun residence of Indra Singh when the CBI officials arrested them on Sunday. Simultaneous searches were conducted at other places to prevent the escape of other suspects. The agency seized more cash from Dehradun, the CAO’s Guwahati premises and those of the Deputy Chief Engineer and the Assistant Executive Engineer.
