The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a chief commercial clerk of Central Railway Rajesh Jha for allegedly demanding ₹20,000 from a ticket checker for settlement of an ongoing departmental case against the latter on Wednesday.
Jha was earlier posted in the vigilance department of CR and was recently transferred in the commercial department of the Mumbai division.
Earlier in September 2022, the principal chief mechanical engineer (PCME) of CR was arrested by the CBI along with his driver for demanding a bribe of ₹1,00000. However, this case has raised fingers about the functioning of the vigilance department, which is meant to investigate corruption cases.
What happened between accused and victim
According to CBI, “In a complaint, it was alleged that ticket checker Ramavatar Meena was deployed on the LTT Allahabad Duranto Express on October 17, 2022. During the journey of the said train, the vigilance team checked the coaches B5 to B -10 at Itarasi Station and two passengers were found without tickets. In January this year, the complainant received a call from Jha asking him to come and meet at his office at CSMT. Accordingly, the complainant met Jha.”
Jha accepted ₹20,000 bribe
“Jha informed the complainant that he (complainant) has been asked to show cause as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him. After some days, the complainant put forth his submission in the senior divisional commercial manager's office in writing. However, Jha expressed his displeasure over the complainant for not meeting him. On February 8, Meena received a charge sheet charged with no increment for two years without hold. A few days later, the complainant again came across Jha, who asked him to file an appeal against the charge sheet on March 10. The complainant followed the same. Following a hearing, Jha told the complainant that he can get the charges reduced to no increment for one year instead of two years and demanded ₹20,000 as a bribe,” the CBI said.
The probe agency said the verification of the complaint was conducted on March 14 in the presence of the independent witnesses. It was revealed that Jha agreed to accept a bribe of Rs20,000 from the complainant.
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