The CBI has arrested the son of a chairman of the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), Mumbai, in connection with a recruitment scam. Vivek Bhardwaj Sharma, son of Mumbai-based Railway Recruitment Board?s chairman SM Sharma, was involved in leaking examination papers for the posts of assistant loco pilot and assistant station master earlier this month. The railways immediately suspended SM Sharma following the arrest of his son and said it will provide all cooperation to the CBI in its investigation.
The CBI conducted raids at multiple locations in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and Raipur, and is carrying out search operations in other parts of the country. ?Rs 93 lakh was recovered in cash and bank accounts in the initial raids,? CBI spokesperson Harsh Bhal said.Besides Vivek, seven others have been arrested, including then additional divisional railway manager, Raipur AK Jagannatham, his son Srujan and a Raipur-based agent. RRBs across the country conduct examinations for induction of staff in Group C category of the Indian Railways. On June 6, examinations were held for the post of assistant loco pilot and on June 13 for assistant station master.
Each candidate was handed over the examination paper a day before and was asked to pay around Rs 3.5 lakh for the same. The papers were secured by Jagannatham in connivance with the officials of RRB, Mumbai.
?It is learnt that similar scams are being perpetrated by several gangs in different parts of the country in connivance with the public servants of the India Railways,? Bhal said asking the aspirants to be on vigil.
A railway official said on the condition of anonymity, ?The case is with the CBI and we cannot say anything on the issue at this point?. Vivek, Jagannatham, Srujan and the agent were produced in the designated court in Hyderabad on June 17 and were remanded to 14 days judicial custody.