In a significant operation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested five senior officials of Indian Railways in Guntakal, including Vineet Singh, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Guntakal division. The arrests were made late on Friday night on charges of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The CBI’s Deputy SP Jai Kumar Bharatiya confirmed that the arrests followed a case registered under multiple sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act on July 4, 2024. The investigation focuses on alleged irregularities involving financial transactions and administrative processes within the railway division, particularly concerning the construction of Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) linked to the Gati Shakti Division.
The CBI special teams arrested Vineet Singh, DRM, Guntakal division, Kunda Pradeep Babu, Senior Divisional Finance Manager, U Akki Reddy, former Senior Divisional Engineer, Coordination, now transferred as Deputy CEN Track, South Central Railway, Secunderabad, M Balaji, Office Superintendent, Engineering Section, SCR, Guntakal Division, and D Lakshmi Pathi Raju, Accounts Assistant, Gati Shakti Office in the office of Chief Project Manager, SCR, Guntakal.
The CBI team, which had been stationed in Guntakal for the past three days, conducted thorough investigations based on complaints from contractors alleging bribery by the railway officials. The complaints centered on bribes demanded for construction projects, including FOBs.
Following initial questioning of key individuals such as Office Superintendent Raju, Office Superintendent Balaji, and others, searches were conducted at the DRM office and residential premises. In addition to the cash seizures, the CBI also confiscated mobile phones to examine call records and communication patterns, which could provide further leads in the case.