NEW DELHI – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), AC-II, New Delhi, has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against a former Northern Railway official and several private individuals for alleged corruption and criminal conspiracy during the years 2021-2022. The case centers on allegations that the official awarded lucrative railway contracts in exchange for illegal kickbacks, which were laundered through his son’s bank account.
The FIR (No: RC2172026A0003), filed on January 21, 2026, follows a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) initiated in July 2025 that uncovered a sophisticated web of “camouflaged” financial transactions.
The Accused
The investigation names the following primary suspects:
- Shri Jai Krishna: The then Executive Engineer (XEN), Construction, Northern Railway, Lucknow.
- Shri Sanjeev Gupta: Proprietor of M/s C.L. Gupta and Sons.
- Shri Arjun Prasad Pandey: Proprietor of M/s A.K. Construction Company.
- Mohd. Tahir Khan: A private individual from Allahabad alleged to have acted as a mediator and “silent partner”.
Modus Operandi: Contracts for Kickbacks
According to the CBI’s findings, Jai Krishna abused his official position to award tenders and work orders to specific firms. Notably, he allegedly signed a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for a contract valued at ₹3.33 Crore for M/s C.L. Gupta & Sons, as well as multiple smaller contracts for M/s A.K. Construction Company.
In return, the contractors allegedly transferred bribe money totaling ₹4.90 Lakh into the bank account of Jai Krishna’s son, Hariom Bhaliyan.
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Digital Evidence and “Camouflaging”
The CBI’s breakthrough came from a mobile phone seized in a separate 2023 case. Forensic examination of the device revealed:
- UPI Screenshots: Evidence of transactions (including payments of ₹80,000 and ₹20,000) with confirmation messages from Jai Krishna.
- Cheque Images: Pictures of Hariom Bhaliyan’s bank details shared by Jai Krishna with the contractors and mediators to facilitate the transfers.
- Third-Party Routing: To hide the true source of the funds, money was often routed through third parties, such as M/s Gopi Rishikul Agencies, even when the primary contractors had sufficient balances to pay directly.
Legal Charges
The accused have been booked under the following sections:
- IPC Section 120-B: Criminal Conspiracy.
- Prevention of Corruption Act (1988, amended 2018): * Section 7: Public servant obtaining undue advantage for dishonest performance.
- Section 8: Giving undue advantage to a public servant.
- Section 12: Abetment of offences.
- Section 18: Attempt to commit an offence.
The investigation is currently being led by Inspector Yogesh Kumar Shakya of the CBI, AC-II, New Delhi. Authorities believe the role of Mohd. Tahir Khan was critical, as he reportedly facilitated the sharing of bank details to ensure the bribes reached the official’s family.
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Status: The case has been formally registered, and a thorough investigation is underway to establish the full extent of the loss to the exchequer and the involvement of any other public servants.