GUWAHATI, Nov 1 - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case and initiated investigation into alleged financial irregularities in projects being executed by the NF Railway on the Silchar-Sairang (Mizoram) line.
The CBI has registered an FIR (no RC 0202020A 0006) in this connection at its Anti-Corruption Branch in Shillong under relevant sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988.
The case was registered after taking the approval of the Railway Board under Section 17A of the PC Act.
According to the FIR, the NFR allegedly made excess payments to the tune of crores of rupees to a contractor in respect of five major works, including construction of two single tunnels, embankments and bridges between Bhairabi and Sairang.
The Bairabi-Sairang line will connect Mizoram to Indian Railways� network up to Bairabi railway station. The rail line has been declared as a national project.
In the FIR, CBI has named three NFR officials, including a then deputy chief engineer, an assistant executive engineer, and an assistant finance advisor, among others.
The Railway officials were accused of not properly checking the �inflated� bills submitted by the contractor, Nayak Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, and recommending payment thereby allegedly causing a loss of at least Rs 7.81 crore to the railways and corresponding wrongful gain to themselves.
The contractor had submitted the bills under the Price Variation Clause (PVC) that deals with price escalation.
�A sample check of the bills prima facie disclosed that the contractor got the bills passed in collision with few engineers and officers of the Finance Department (Construction), Silchar, and NFR headquarters at Maligaon,� a source said.
