Explosive Corruption Scandal Rocks RDSO: Director Undermines Own Department, Endangers Rail Safety

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In what can only be described as an outrageous instance of administrative #sabotage and brazen #corruption, the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (#RDSO) finds itself in a legal and moral quagmire, thanks to the actions of its own senior official. Mr #SudhirSingh, Director/Carriage/RDSO, with tacit support from superiors, has pushed Indian Railways into an unprecedented embarrassment before the Hon’ble High Court—an act that may go down as one of the most shameful in the 172-year history of the institution.

Ep94: #RDSO का कारनामा—घातक है मुद्दों की अनदेखी, भाग-5

At the centre of this scandal lies M/s #JWLKovis India Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata, a firm approved for the supply of #brake-discs for #LHB coaches. According to their Quality Assurance Plan (#QAP), approved on 16.05.2023, the use of tested imported brake casting was mandatory. However, in blatant violation of the approved QAP, the firm clandestinely substituted it with untested local casting—without any prior approval from RDSO.

Following a #Vigilance complaint, departmental investigations confirmed the #misconduct. In a rare instance of accountability, even the firm—as per reliable sources—admitted to having violated the norms across multiple #tenders. Consequentially, the Carriage Directorate downgraded the #vendor/firm from ‘approved’ to ‘developmental’ status on 02.01.2025—a logical and necessary punitive measure considering the grave #Safety implications involved, sources said.

And then came the inexplicable betrayal

Shockingly, on 05.04.2024, Mr Sudhir Singh, the very same #Director who oversaw the downgrade, issued an official letter to RDSO Vigilance falsely claiming that the firm was using imported casting as per the approved QAP. This brazen contradiction not only nullifies his department’s prior action, but also provides the defaulting firm with ammunition to challenge the downgrade order in court.

Experts are calling this an act of institutional suicide. The sheer absurdity of this contradiction—punishing a firm for safety violations and simultaneously certifying their compliance—and sharing the copy of the same—is something even the most irrational mind would struggle to comprehend. Such actions don’t just point to negligence; they raise serious questions of deliberate collusion and compromise of public safety for vested interests.

With the firm now contesting its penalization in the Hon’ble High Court, thanks to this misleading letter, the credibility of RDSO stands tarnished, and public safety once again takes a backseat.

Accountability must be swift and absolute. The nation’s largest transport system cannot afford such catastrophic lapses—especially not from those entrusted with ensuring its integrity.

Blatant Non-Compliance and Continued Favoritism in Gross Violation of Judicial and Administrative Discipline

The act of undue #favouritism and #abuse of authority does not end with the initial misconduct. Despite the firm being downgraded for proven and admitted violations, the pattern of systemic shielding continues. The firm, after being downgraded through a reasoned and fact-based order, preferred an appeal. The Appellate Authority, i.e., Special DG/VD/RDSO, after due consideration, rejected the appeal and upheld the downgradation order.

The firm then approached the Hon’ble High Court, Kolkata. In its interim judgment dated 05.05.2025, the Hon’ble Court, on purely procedural grounds—absence of personal hearing—quashed the earlier appellate order and directed that a fresh order be passed after granting a personal hearing. The case was then adjourned.

It is pertinent to note that:

  • There exists no explicit legal mandate requiring a personal hearing at the appellate stage in such cases.
  • The appellant never sought a personal hearing at any point during the original proceedings.

Nevertheless, in absolute compliance with the Hon’ble Court’s directive, the Appellate Authority conducted a personal hearing and issued a fresh and speaking order dated 06.06.2025, again upholding the original order of downgradation based on irrefutable facts and the firm’s own admissions.

Despite the fresh order being valid, lawful, and undisputed, the same is willfully not being implemented. The firm continues to be reflected as “approved” in the #UVAM portal, thereby misleading all Zonal Railways and Production Units to treat it as eligible for bulk procurement—a consequence directly affecting safety, compliance, and procurement fairness.

As per sources, to justify this continued non-compliance, Mr Sudhir Singh, Director/Carriage, RDSO, has taken recourse to a deliberate misrepresentation of facts by falsely claiming that the matter is “under sub-judice.” It must be stated, in no uncertain terms, that:

  • There is no stay granted by the Hon’ble High Court on the fresh order dated 06.06.2025.
  • The fresh order has not been challenged, and
  • The Court has made no observations whatsoever against the subsequent order passed post personal hearing.

This misuse of the term “sub-judice” is nothing but a malicious and calculated act of misdirection, intended solely to provide an extended umbrella of illegitimate protection to the errant firm. Such conduct not only undermines the sanctity of judicial pronouncements but constitutes a flagrant dereliction of administrative duty and contemptuous disregard for legal finality.

Strict action is warranted against the concerned officer for wilful defiance of lawful orders and misuse of judicial terminology to shield a defaulting vendor in violation of public trust and institutional integrity.