RCF: Uncovering a Web of Corruption but no Action!
THE DARK TIES: Swiss Bank Accounts, Hawala Routes, Benami Holdings and GM/RCF’s corruption network with conspirators CVO/RCF and some Mechanical officers of RCF
Why did Ashesh Agrawal not delegate the powers of Railway Board SOP at RCF? Was it to increase his control over tender settlements, or were there ulterior motives of Ashesh Agrawal and Ravinder Kumar Verma at play?
The construction of storage facility for Vande Bharat items, even though the indents has not been finalised, was carried out by a contractor, M/s M G Gupta, who also holds an official position within the railway at RCF
After a series of damning #exposés shedding light on the #corrupt activities of individuals like Sh. Ashesh Agrawal, GM/RCF, and Sh. Ravinder Kumar Verma, CVO/RCF, along with their dubious gang of mechanical officers at #RCF, the public has been left with a slew of unanswered questions in case of #Paint, torn #Seat and #Berth, #Bogie-frame case, M/s #DTL case, deepening questions etc. Sh. #AsheshAgrawal assured #Editor of #Railwhispers that all inquiries would be addressed in due time, but these promises have proven to be nothing but empty words.
The series of articles on RCF
Multi-crore primer supply scam going on at RCF, Kapurthala under the patronage of management!
Bogus complaint against a firm cooked up by RCF Vigilance Department itself for the #extortion?
Deepening Questions: RCF Scandals and the Agrawal Brothers’ Involvement
Modus operandi of officers lobby at RCF Kapurthala
Empty Promises & Manipulated Facts
Sources reveal that Sh. Ashesh Agrawal, #GM and Ravinder Kumar Verma, #CVO went to great lengths to manipulate facts on paper and provide vague responses to #Railwhispers’ inquiries, failing to provide concrete answers to the pressing questions. They also failed to take any action against the #wrongdoers within their mechanical officers’ circle.
Abuse of Administrative Power
What’s even more astonishing is that while holding the position of #GeneralManager at RCF, Sh. Ashesh Agrawal blatantly disregarded the #RailwayBoard’s schedule of Power (#SOP) for #Tender settlements through the Tender committee. The Railway Board’s #SOP clearly states that for tenders exceeding ₹200 crore, the tender committee (#TC) should be convened by the #PCMM, with the GM as the accepting authority.
However, sources say, Sh. Ashesh Agrawal abused his #administrative power and due to his vested interests, kept the power to ₹120 crore, with the PCMM/RCF as the #convener and GM/RCF as the accepting authority. This eyebrow-raising move stands in stark contrast to the practices in other production units (#PUs) and #ZonalRailways, where the #GM retains #acceptance authority for #tenders of ₹200 crore or more. Why did Sh. Ashesh Agrawal not delegate the powers of Railway Board SOP at RCF? Was it to increase his control over tender settlements, or were there ulterior motives of Ashesh Agrawal and Ravinder Kumar Verma at play?
Non-delegation of powers and keeping all cases beyond ₹120 crore points to Mr Agrawal’s & Mr Verma’s vested interests, which are further corroborated by reports from major #vendors who allege substantial #kickbacks paid in exchange for #Tender approvals, amounting to a staggering 200-250 crores embezzled with the complicity of favoured officers in RCF’s mechanical lobby during Mr Agrawal’s stay of approx. 02 years at RCF.
Moreover, it has come to our attention from credible sources that Sh. Ashesh Agrawal maintains a consistent presence at RCF’s Tilak Bridge office at Delhi, with a minimum of two monthly visits purportedly for inspection purposes. This naturally invites #scrutiny regarding the substance of these so-called inspections, particularly in light of the unequivocal #RailwayBoard directive to shutter the #TilakBridge office and transfer all personnel and officials to #Kapurthala.
Overstaying Officers and Personal Gain
Sources also suggest that many #Mechanical officers at #RCF have overstayed their tenure, shielded by Sh. Ashesh Agrawal due to his vested interests. Notable examples include:
- Sh. #BaldevRaj, the favoured #Secretary to GM/RCF, who facilitated unethical payments to GM/RCF, and has remained at RCF since 1987, in violation of Railway Board’s #Rotation policies.
- Sh. #VirenderKumarVij, recently appointed as #DyCME/Design due to his close ties with GM/RCF, has allegedly started #extortion of hefty sums from #vendors for #pilot-sample-clearances and has been at RCF since 1987.
- Sh. #BhupeshwarAttri, #CPLE, who has served in various capacities at RCF, reportedly engaged in extensive #vendor exploitation and deals with GM/RCF, despite spending over 20 years at the institution.
- Sh. #SureshKumarSharma, #CQM-II, another officer with over 20 years of service at RCF, is accused of exploiting vendors and facilitating deals with GM/RCF.
- Sh. #Gagandeep, #CWE/Fur and #ED/#RDSO, the famous #playboy officer allegedly acted as a money collector for GM/RCF, and has also surpassed 20 years of service at RCF.
- Sh. #PritpalSingh, #DyCMM/D/Shell (often called #PP), the famous bar tender & waiter at club evenings, a caddie of #CVO and #PFA, is conventional in facilitating the #firms and #vendors to meet Sh. Baldev Raj, Secretary to GM for various favours like arranging parties, pleasure satisfaction of high end officers, collection agent on behalf of secretary to GM etc. He has spent more than 25 years in RCF. Sources also told that #PP has applied for #VRS but PCMM/RCF has withheld it due to reasons best known to Sh. Ashesh Agrawal (#GM), Sh. Ravinder Verma (#CVO), Sh. Vinod Langan (#PCMM). Question arises why such leeches like #PP and others as mentioned above who act as #parasites in the system are thrived by the system?
These #examples underscore how these officers have been sheltered beyond their tenure by GM/RCF, for his personal gain or else. It also means that the system is not working properly.
Allegations of Hawala & Benami transactions
Sources suggest that due to lack of #rotation as brought out above and brazen acts of Mr Ashesh Agrawal, there are #Hawala and #Benami transactions galore. However, these can only be probed by agencies.
Extravagant Farewell Bash Sparks Funding Questions
There are also reports suggesting that a recent opulent celebration was hosted by the group of mechanical officers in honor of Sh. Ashesh Agrawal, who is scheduled to #retire on September 30, 2023. This elaborate event featured costly #champagne and #catering services provided by a renowned high-end hotel chain.
This leads to the pressing question: who bore the expenses for this extravagant gathering? Did it deplete #government funds, or was it financed by #suppliers or the very group of mechanical officers who organized it? It is increasingly evident that such extravagant affairs, reminiscent of a colonial-era, should be discontinued without delay.
Questionable Priorities: Inaugurations Over Production
Furthermore, it is also worth noting that the production of #VandeBharat Train-sets is proceeding at a rapid pace under the dedicated efforts of #ICF-Chennai. Tenders, necessary formalities, and essential materials for the Vande Bharat #train-sets are being actively managed and received at #MCF-Raebareli. However, it is perplexing that Mr Ashesh Agrawal, the General Manager of RCF, chose to inaugurate a storage facility – cost about ₹4 crore – for Vande Bharat items, even though the #indents for these items by RCF has not been finalized.
The #construction of this storage facility at RCF was carried out by a #contractor, M/s #MGGupta, who also holds an official position within the railway at RCF. Remarkably, the entire project was supervised during his duty hours at RCF. It raises questions as to why #GMRCF seemed more interested in the ceremonial inauguration of the storage ward rather than actively participating in and materialising the actual production of the Vande Bharat trainsets which is the need of the nation at present?
Dodging Accountability: The Ashesh Agrawal Enigma
#AsheshAgrawal, the #embodiment of #corruption, seems to have an uncanny knack for dodging #accountability within the system. Despite presenting a mountain of evidence to the #MRCell and other anti-corruption watchdogs, it’s utterly perplexing that he continues to escape justice unscathed. It’s almost as if he possesses some sort of invisible shield, shielding him from the consequences of his actions.
His presence within the system is like a lingering foul odor, tainting the reputation of our institutions and eroding public trust. People like Mr Agrawal thrive on the system’s weaknesses, like parasites feeding off a host, while hardworking citizens bear the brunt of their misdeeds.
And, when they eventually reach #retirement at L-16, they do so without facing any repercussions, leaving behind a #legacy of #corruption and a system that appears #powerless to stop them. It’s disheartening to witness how these individuals evade justice, exposing the inadequacies of our anti-corruption efforts.
A Call for Change
In conclusion, the revelations surrounding Sh. Ashesh Agrawal’s tenure as General Manager at RCF have painted a bleak picture of #corruption, #manipulation, #nepotism, and #favouritism. The allegations of embezzlement, making monopolies of various vendors, tampering with tender procedures, and sheltering cadre-biradari lobby officers well beyond their prescribed tenures cannot be ignored.
It is imperative that the new General Manager, whoever it may be, takes immediate and decisive action against these #BlackSheep within RCF. The time for #honesty, #accountability and #transparency is long overdue. The public trust in institutions like RCF must be restored, and this can only be achieved by weeding out those who have tarnished its reputation. Sh. Ashesh Agrawal’s legacy will forever be marred by these allegations which always ensured continuous deterioration of RCF, and the #responsibility now falls on his successor to cleanse the organization of its stains.
A Plea to the New Leadership
To the incoming General Manager, we say: The people are watching, and they demand justice. The #era of #corruption and #impunity must come to an end, and a new era of #integrity, #fairness, and adherence to the #rule of #law must begin. It is time to act swiftly, decisively, and without compromise to ensure that RCF serves its true purpose – to benefit the #Railway and the nation as a whole. The #Black-sheep must be held #accountable, and the path to #redemption for RCF must be paved with honesty and diligence. The future of this institution hangs in the balance, and it is now in the hands of its new leadership to steer it back onto the right track with the tagline of RCF “Imandaari, Pratishtha and Parishram!”
To continue.. who is running factories, who is supplying materials, who is taking contracts of construction of sheds, who is the silent partner in the firms, who has invested his illegal earnings with the contractors/suppliers etc.
Compiled & Edited by: Suresh Tripathi