The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in Patna, has registered a formal case against a senior railway official and a private firm for allegedly conspiring to defraud the East Central Railway of over ₹12.57 lakh.
The First Information Report (FIR), registered on January 12, 2026, follows a detailed preliminary inquiry into irregularities at the Carriage & Wagon units in the Sonpur Division.
The Allegations: Inflated Bills and Misconduct
The investigation centers on a contract for outsourcing various technical activities—including welding, door repairs, and component replacements for goods trains—at the Narayanpur Anant and Garhara freight depots. The total contract was estimated at approximately ₹3.27 crore.
According to the CBI, the following irregularities were discovered:
- Inflated Billing: The accused official allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with the contractor to allow the submission of inflated bills based on falsified register entries.
- Wrongful Loss: Between October 2023 and January 2025, the contractor claimed bills totaling ₹66,12,247, resulting in an estimated wrongful loss of ₹12,57,679 to the Railways.
- Misuse of Resources: The contractor reportedly used railway-owned machinery, which was a violation of the signed agreement.
- Lack of Penalties: Despite clear shortcomings in the work, the official allegedly failed to impose mandatory penalties on the contractor.
Individuals Named in the FIR
The CBI has named the following primary accused in the case:
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- Shri Navneet Kumar Sinha: Senior Section Engineer (SSE), C&W, Mechanical at the Garhara Depot, EC Railway.
- M/s. Krishna Ram: A Jharkhand-based firm represented by its partner, Shri Krishna Ram.
- Unknown others: Including other public servants and private individuals suspected of involvement.
Legal Action and Investigation
The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018):
- IPC Sections: 120B (Criminal Conspiracy), 409 (Criminal Breach of Trust by Public Servant), 420 (Cheating), 468 (Forgery for Cheating), and 471 (Using Forged Documents as Genuine).
- PC Act Section: 13(1)(a) read with 13(2) regarding criminal misconduct.
The FIR was authorized by Pawan Kumar Srivastava, Additional Superintendent of Police, CBI, ACB, Patna. The formal investigation has been entrusted to Shri L.K. Mishra, Deputy Superintendent of Police, for further action.
