Gross misuse of Railway Inspection Carriage for transporting of personal belongings by PCME

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Inspection carriage utilisation for personal house equipment movement by PCME/SWR. He used carriage in his transfer from PCME/NFR to SWR in the name of a Junior officer NFR. Case under investigation by competent Authority

Complaint of corrupt practices by extremely senior railway officers of Northeast Frontier Railways (#NFR) and South Western Railways (#SWR) regarding serious corruption and gross misuse of Railway Inspection Carriage for transporting of personal belongings from Guwahati to Bangaluru on his transfer

#PravinKumarTiwari is a #HAG Group-A officer of #IndianRailway Service of Mechanical Engineering (#IRSME). On his own request he was transferred from the post of Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer (#PCME) of NFR Headquarters at Guwahati (Assam) to SWR HQs at Hubli (Karnataka) vide Railway Board No. E(O)III-2024/TR/213 dated 14.05.2024. Presently he is posted as PCME/SWR. He relinquished charge at Guwahati and joined at Hubli in the first week of June, 2024. As Mr. Tiwari was transferred on his own request to Hubli, he was not entitled to get any free facility or transport allowance to transport his belongings to the new place of posting.

A Railway Inspection Carriage or RA (popularly known as Saloon) of Northeast Frontier Railway having No. RA-964094 was book in the name of CME/Project & EnHM/NFR Mr. Bhaben Nath (Currently CRSE/Freight/NFR) for transporting huge amount of his personal belongings (that included furniture and other household items) and also some railway properties from Guwahati to Bangaluru in SWR. Separate arrangements were made to transport the items from Bangaluru to Hubli. Revised tour programme showing the movement of RA (Railway Inspection Carriage) was issued on 12.06.2024 by ATM/CHG/MLG.

The revised tour programme show the following-

  • On 13.06.2024 (Thursday) the #RA-964094 move from GHY (Guwahati) to RNY (Rangia) as EMPTY (i.e. without the officer).
  • On 14.06.2024 (Friday) the RA to be attached to Train No. 05952 (New Tinsukia тАУ SMVT Bangaluru Special, WEEKLY Train), Departure 03:40 hrs in the morning.
  • On 16.06.2024 (Sunday) the train arrive at Bangaluru at 09:00 hrs in the Morning.
  • On 17.06.2024 (Monday) the RA-964094 is attached to Train No. 05951 (SMVT Bangaluru тАУ New Tinsukia Special Weekly) at 00:30 hrs early in the morning just after midnight.

From the above it is clearly seen that the concerned officer booked with the RA reaches Bangaluru on Sunday morning at 09:00 hrs and leaves on Monday at 00:30 hrs very early in the morning. He is not getting any working day or working hour at Bangaluru and hence no official duty could be conducted. It proves that he was booked on false duty to Bangaluru. He (The then CME/Project & EnHM/NFR Mr. Bhaben Nath) was booked along with RA for sole purpose of transporting huge amount personal belongings (that included furniture and other household items) of Mr. Pravin Kumar Tiwari.

The revised tour programme was issued in reference to Secretary to PCME letter No. Mech/EnHM/Tour/06-24 dated 10.06.2024. This show that the tour programme of CME/Project & EnHM/NFR Mr. Bhaben Nath was not issued by himself but was issued on behalf of PCME Mr. Ajay Nandan and it has consent of GM Mr. Chetan Kumar Srivastava.

The train distance from Guwahati to Bangaluru is appx. 2950 km. Hence to and fro distance is appx. 5900 km. Booking of Mr. #BhabenNath and #RA-964094 was a #corrupt practice that caused huge loss to Railways, it was done solely to favour Mr. #PravinKumarTiwari, PCME/SWR and it was done against the rules. On the other hand, #Railway had lost revenue earning that could have been moved on the particular trains in which the Railway Inspection Carriage was attached. Mr. Bhaben Nath unnecessarily travelled(?) from Guwahati to Bangaluru and wasted his productive hours as being a SAG officer. The Railway Inspection Carriage could have been gainfully utilized some other bonafide officer(s) of NFR in genuine inspection purposes.

Following are directly responsible for the above serious case of corruption-

  1. Mr. #ChetanKumarSrivastava, the present #GMNFR. By approving the booking Mr. Bhaben Nath on unnecessary duty along with #Saloon, he misused his official position for shifting household items of Pravin Kumar Tiwari from Guwahati to Bangaluru. As per rule Railway Saloons are to be used for inspection purpose only and not for any other purpose like transporting of household items on transfer. He also caused misuse of Railway saloon, which is a public property under Government of India, dishonestly and unauthorisedly for personal purpose of Pravin Kumar Tiwari. By this he also caused huge loss to Railways. He has thus commited offence under section 7(c) and section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Curruption Act, 1988 and liable to be punished accordingly.
  2. Mr. #AjayNandan, the present PCME/NFR. By booking Mr. Bhaben Nath on unnecessary duty along with Saloon, he misused his official position for shifting household items of Pravin Kumar Tiwari from Guwahati to Bangaluru. As per rule Railway Saloons are to be used for inspection purpose only and not for any other purpose like transporting of household items on transfer. He also caused misuse of Railway saloon, which is a public property under Government of India, dishonestly and unauthorisedly for personal purpose of Pravin Kumar Tiwari. By this he also caused huge loss to Railways. He has thus commited offence under section 7(c) and section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Curruption Act, 1988 and liable to be punished accordingly.
  3. Mr. #PravinKumarTiwari, the present PCME/ SWR. Using his official position and by exercise of his personal influence he managed to book Bhaben Nath on duty along with RA to Bangaluru, for shifting all his household items from Guwahati to Hubballi. As per rule Railway Saloons are to be used for inspection purpose only and not for any other purpose like transporting of household items on transfer. Against the rules he utilized Railway saloon dishonestly and unauthorisedly for his own personal use. He caused huge loss to Railways, saved huge amount of transport cost that would have incurred to him and thus, he intentionally enriched himself illicitly by this saving. He has thus commited offence under section 7A, 13(1)(a) and 13(1)(b) of the Prevention of Curruption Act, 1988 and liable to be punished accordingly.
  4. Mr. #BhabenNath, the then #CME/Project & EnHM/NFR and current #CRSE/Freight/NFR. Mr. Bhaben Nath got himself on unnecessary duty along with Saloon, he misused his official position for shifting household items of Pravin Kumar Tiwari from Guwahati to Bangaluru. As per rule Railway Saloons are to be used for inspection purpose only and not for any other purpose like transporting of household items on transfer. He also caused misuse of Railway saloon, which is a public property under Government of India, dishonestly and unauthorisedly for personal purpose of Pravin Kumar Tiwari. By this he also caused huge loss to Railways. He has thus commited offence under section 7(c) and section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Curruption Act, 1988 and liable to be punished accordingly

It may be noted that the above Railway officers are very senior positions and have got means and ability to influence Railway officials at the highest/Apex levels to certify that the use of the Railway Inspection Carriage and duty performed by Mr. Bhaben Nath is genuine so as to go scot free. By not getting caught for their corrupt practices they are much more emboldened to continue their corrupt practices.

To verify the complaint enough evidences are available on the records in the railway system. Evidences and proof for the above stated corrupt activities can be obtained from the documents, railway personnel and offices stated below as well as from other sources.

Statements of the following concerned persons may be recorded under Section 164 #CrPC and required documents may be obtained from them:

  1. Mr. #PragJyotiKalita, #SSE/C&W, #Coaching Depot Guwahati – 781001, under Senior Coaching Depot Officer (#SrCDO)/Guwahati: For getting details and records of booking of the Railway Inspection Carriage (including the specific Inspection Carriage number), the items loaded at Guwahati and transported to Bangaluru, Person(s) occupied and moved with the Railway Inspection Carriage to Bangaluru and back, movement details & trains on which the Railway Inspection Carriage was attached for movement, number of days it took for to and fro journey etc. Name and other details of caretaker of Railway Inspection Carriage can also be obtained from him.
  2. SrCDO/Guwahati: For getting details/records of booking of the Railway Inspection Carriage, the items loaded at Guwahati and transported to Bangaluru, Person(s) occupied and moved with the Railway Inspection Carriage to Bangaluru and back, movement details & trains on which the Railway Inspection Carriage was attached for movement, number of days it took for to and fro journey etc. Name and other details of caretaker of Railway Inspection Carriage can also be obtained from him.
  3. Caretaker of Railway Inspection Carriage (working under Mr. Prag Jyoti Kalita, Senior Section Engineer (C&W), Coaching Depot Guwahati and Senior Coaching Depot Officer (SrCDO)/Guwahati) of Coaching Depot Guwahati, that went to Bangaluru: For getting details/records of booking of the Railway Inspection Carriage (including the specific Inspection Carriage number), the items loaded at Guwahati and transported to Bangaluru, Person(s) occupied and moved with the Railway Inspection Carriage to Bangaluru and back, movement details & trains on which the Railway Inspection Carriage was attached for movement, number of days it  took for to and fro journey etc.
  4. Mr. Bhaben Nath, the present Chief Rolling Stock Engineer/Freight, Northeast Frontier Railway HQ at Guwahati: For getting details of booking ON DUTY of the Railway Inspection Carriage, the items loaded at Guwahati and transported to Bangaluru, Person(s) occupied and moved with the Railway Inspection Carriage to Bangaluru and back, movement details & trains on which the Railway Inspection Carriage was attached for movement, number of days it  took for to and fro journey etc. Inspection note/ briefing submitted by Mr. Bhaben Nath on the duty conducted may also be obtained.
  5. Mr. Ajay Nandan, the present Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer (PCME) of Northeast Frontier Railway HQ at Guwahati: For getting reasons to book Mr. Bhaben Nath ON DUTY along with Railway Inspection Carriage from Guwahati to Bangaluru for transporting of personal belongings of Mr. Pravin Kumar Tiwari from Guwahati to Bangaluru after his transfer, exact nature of duty booking and actual duty conducted by Mr. Bhaben Nath. Inspection note/ written briefing submitted by Mr. Bhaben Nath to PCME on the duty conducted may also be obtained.
  6. Mr. P. K. Dewry, ATM/CHG/MLG/NFR working under Principal Chief Operating Manager (PCOM) of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Headquarters at Guwahati (Assam): For getting records/details of booking of Railway Inspection Carriage from Guwahati to Bangaluru and back and route permission.
  7. Station Managers of Guwahati Railway Station, Rangia Railway station and Bangaluru Railway Station: For getting attachment, detachment and shunting details of the Railway Inspection Carriage at  Guwahati Railway Station, Rangia Railway Station and Bangaluru Railway Station.

Information may also be collected from CVO & SDGM of Northeast Frontier Railway Headquarters at Maligaon, Guwahati (Assam) тАУ 781011 as he apparently also had received information/complain regarding gross #misuse and #corruption by unauthorizedly utilizing Railway Inspection #Carriage for transporting of personal belongings by Mr. Pravin Kumar Tiwari from Guwahati to Bangaluru after his transfer and also taking away of some Railway properties.

It is requested to conduct necessary investigation and arrange to impose exemplary punishments to the culprits to discourage such gross blatant misuse and corruption.

DA: (1) Copy of Transfer Order issued by Railway Board of Mr. Pravin Kumar Tiwari to South Western Railway, Hubli (Karnataka) vide E(O)III-2024/TR/213 dated 14.05.2024
(2) Copy of Revised Tour programme of RA issued by ATM/CHG/MLG on 12.06.2024.
(3) Copy of Railway BoardтАЩs letter No. 2017/Coaching/33/13 dated 25.10.2019 regarding policy for use of saloons.