CBI registers fresh case in 'Rail Neer' scam

New Delhi: CBI on Thursday registered a case of alleged possession of fake currency against a businessman and his two sons, an offshoot of the 'Rail Neer' scam in which the three are being probed by the central agency.

CBI registered the case after it emerged that of the Rs 27 crore cash receovered from Sharan Bihari Agrawal, his sons Abhishek Agrawal and Rahul Agarwal, who own R K Associates and Brandavan Food Product, Rs 33,500 were allegedly fake currency.

Sources said the trio will now have to reveal the origin of the money, which will further strengthen the agency's case against them.

During searches in October last year, CBI had recovered Rs 27 crore cash from Agrawals.

CBI had registered a case against two senior Railway officials M S Chaliam and Sandeep Silas besides seven private companies - R K Associates Pvt Ltd, Satyam Caterers Pvt Ltd, Ambuj Hotel and Real Estate, P K Associates Pvt Ltd, Sunshine Pvt Ltd, Brandavan Food Product and Food World - under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

It is alleged that the accused officials had shown favour to these private firms which supplied cheap packaged drinking instead of 'Rail Neer' which is mandatory for catering onboard premium trains including Rajdhani and Shatabdi.

CBI had said the Railway Board had prescribed that IRCTC shall provide 'Rail Neer' at the rate of around Rs 10.50 per bottle to private caterers and they would be paid nearly Rs 15 per bottle for supplying the same to the passengers in premium trains.

However, in order to make undue gains, the private suppliers were allegedly supplying cheap packaged water, other than 'Rail Neer', available in the market for Rs 5.70-Rs 7 per bottle, thereby making undue profits and causing loss to the exchequer.

The agency has filed a charge sheet against these Railway officials, Sharan Bihari Agarwal, and the eight companies for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 19.5 crore to railways by selling cheaper packaged water in place of 'Rail Neer'.