The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against three persons, including a Supreme Court-empanelled mediator, on charges of cheating job aspirants by promising them appointments in the Railways.
Based on a complaint forwarded by the Vigilance Wing of Southern Railway, the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch booked A. Clement Lenin Charles, who is on the panel of mediators/conciliators of the International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre, which works under the aegis of the Supreme Court, G.C. Sridharan, an employees’ union leader of the South Western Railway, Hubballi, Karnataka, and M. Puhazhendi of Arakkonam in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu for collecting “huge money” from aspirants for jobs in the Railways.
Two such aspirants, C.M. Thomas and S. Sabapathy, in their complaint alleged that the accused persons had collected large sums of money after assuring them and others of jobs or contract works in the Railways.
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Fake appointment orders
Investigation revealed that the suspects used forged documents, including letters purported to have been written by a Union Minister and a Member of Parliament, recommending the candidature of the persons who were cheated.
Fake appointment orders that appeared to have been signed and issued by the Chief Personnel Officer of the Railways, were also used to commit the offence in Chennai, New Delhi and other places.
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The exact number of persons cheated and the quantum of money taken as bribe were under investigation.
“The accused persons entered into a criminal conspiracy to cheat various job aspirants in the Railways, and promised them in a fraudulent manner to get suitable jobs in the Railways by illegally exercising their personal influence with the Railway authorities, received/obtained huge amounts as quid pro quo consideration for the same...,” the First Information Report (FIR) said.
Criminal conspiracy case
After prima facie offence was established, the CBI registered a case of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery against the accused persons. Since the suspects were not connected to the Railways, the Vigilance Wing of the Southern Railway had forwarded the complaint to the CBI for investigation.