Packaged water on trains: CBI books 2 former rail officials for corruption

The agency also booked private companies R K Associates Pvt Ltd, Satyam Caterers Pvt Ltd, Ambuj Hotel and Real Estate, PK Associates Pvt Ltd, Sunsine Pvt Ltd, Brandavan Food Product and Food World under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

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CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh said the Railway Board had prescribed that IRCTC shall provide Rail Neer at Rs 10.50 (approx) per bottle to private caterers, who will then be paid Rs 15 (approx) per bottle for supplying them to passengers on premium trains.

However, the private suppliers were allegedly supplying cheap packaged water available for Rs 5.70 to 7.00 (approx) per bottle, thereby causing loss to the exchequer, the official said.

“The accused public servants allegedly did not take any action against the private parties providing catering services on premium trains,” he said. The official said IRCTC had written to the officials several times that the private cateres were not picking the allotted quota of Rail Neer.

CBI said directions of Railway Board to ensure supply of “Rail Neer” in premium trains were also ignored by the officials, causing undue pecuniary advantage to the private parties and corresponding loss to IRCTC.

“Searches were conducted  at 13 places in Delhi and Noida, which led to recovery of more than Rs 20 crore cash (approx) and a many  incriminating documents,” the spokesperson said.

Sources claimed that Rs 20 crore was recovered from the house of Shyam Bihari Agrawal and his sons Abhishek Agrawal and Rahul Agarwal, who own R K Associates and Brandavan Food Product.