PATNA – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Patna, has registered a fresh case (RC0232026A0002) as part of an ongoing investigation into a multi-depot maintenance scam within the East Central Railway. The second FIR names a Senior Section Engineer (SSE) at the Garhara Barauni Depot for allegedly conspiring with a private contractor to defraud the railways through inflated billing and misuse of government resources.
The Investigation: Expanding the Net
The case originated from a Joint Surprise Check conducted on April 28, 2025, by the CBI and Railway Vigilance at the Carriage & Wagon (C&W) Units in Garhara, Barauni. Following a Preliminary Enquiry, the agency uncovered systematic irregularities in a contract worth approximately ₹3.27 crore awarded to M/s. Krishna Ram, a Jharkhand-based firm.
This is the second such case involving this specific contractor; a parallel investigation is already underway regarding similar fraudulent activities at the Narayanpur Anant Depot.
Allegations of “Ghost Work” and Inflated Billing
According to the FIR, Navneet Kumar Sinha, the Senior Section Engineer at the Garhara Depot, entered into a criminal conspiracy with the partners of M/s. Krishna Ram. The key allegations include:
- Inflated Claims: The contractor reportedly submitted bills totaling ₹66,12,247 for the period between October 2023 and January 2025.
- Fabricated Records: It is alleged that Sinha allowed the contractor to raise bills significantly higher than the actual work performed by validating inflated entries in official registers.
- Misuse of Machinery: The firm allegedly used railway-owned machinery to execute maintenance tasks, despite contract terms requiring the agency to provide its own equipment.
- Penalty Waivers: Official oversight was allegedly ignored, and mandatory penalties for service shortcomings were not imposed on the contractor.
The CBI estimates the “wrongful loss” to the national exchequer in this specific instance to be approximately ₹12,57,679.
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Accused and Legal Framework
The CBI has officially booked:
- Navneet Kumar Sinha: Senior Section Engineer (Mechanical), Garhara Depot, EC Railway.
- M/s. Krishna Ram: A private firm based in Ramgarh, Jharkhand, represented by its partner, Krishna Ram.
- Unknown Public Servants and Private Individuals: Suspected of facilitating the fraud.
The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).
