Retired ICF official graft case: CBI arrests four more

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four more individuals in reference to an alleged graft case towards A.K. Kathpal, a former Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer earlier posted on the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. He was arrested on Monday.

Apart from ₹2.75 crore in money and 23kg of gold, the CBI has seized papers associated to fastened deposits to the tune of ₹4.28 crore, some financial institution accounts, immovable properties and keys of two financial institution lockers. “The assets are being evaluated and searches are still under way,” mentioned an company official.

Among the arrestees are the retired 1984 batch Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME) official’s brother Sanjay Kathpal; Hamsa Venugopalan, the director of Universal Engineers Chennai Private Limited; Om Prakash, her working accomplice in Delhi; and Khetmal Jain of Chennai-based Salem Steel Trading Co.

The most important accused was arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting ₹50 lakh because the second instalment of ₹5.89 crore, which had been parked with Ms. Venugopalan, the CBI mentioned. Her firm is registered as a daily vendor of the ICF.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the official, whereas posted with the ICF Chennai indulged in corruption in connivance with Ms. Venugopalan and others, within the award or execution of tenders associated to the ICF’s mechanical division then headed by him. It is alleged that at his occasion, bribes have been collected by means of Ms. Venugopalan from February 2019 until his retirement on March 31, 2021.

The ICF’s mechanical unit offers with procurement and provide of varied gear used for the development/furnishing of rail coaches. The most important accused, being the Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer and head of the wing, was a part of the tender committee for tenders associated to the provision of mechanical objects.

The machines/gear equipped by the contractors are inspected by the unit earlier than accepting and utilizing them for manufacturing of coaches. The payments for provides are cleared after certification by the unit.

Overall accountable

Being answerable for the unit, the accused was general liable for the design, planning, manufacturing and high quality of rolling inventory manufactured within the ICF. He was dealing with approval of designs, provide of equipment, finalisation of tenders, inspection of supplies, passing of payments of distributors, and many others, mentioned the FIR.

After retirement, he allegedly requested Ms. Venugopalan to make preparations for handing over Rs.5.89 crore to him in Delhi. In order to switch the quantity in instalments from June to September, she allegedly roped in Mr. Jain and Mr. Prakash, a resident of Trilokpuri in Delhi.

The first instalment of ₹50 lakh was delivered on June 19 by Mr. Prakash to the retired official’s brother close to his residence in West Patel Nagar in Delhi. The second one was to be handed over on Monday when the CBI arrested the retired official.