Rly job scam ringleaders offered question papers for Rs 3.5 lakh

The CBI has accused the son of the Mumbai railway recruitment chief of selling job entrance examination question papers for Rs 3.5 lakh each....

The CBI has accused the son of the Mumbai railway recruitment chief of selling job entrance examination question papers for Rs 3.5 lakh each. There were seven others in the alleged criminal ring,the CBI has said,including a former senior railway officer,his son and a Raipur-based tout.

The then ADRM,Raipur,in connivance with the officials of RRB,Mumbai,secured a copy of the question paper before the examination date and provided the same to several aspirants, CBI spokesperson Harsh Bhal said in New Delhi today,referring to A K Jagannatham,the former railway officer.

The RRBs (Railway Recruitment Boards) conduct examinations for induction of Group C staff in the Railways. Examinations were held across the country on June 6 to appoint Assistant Loco Pilot,and on June 13 for Assistant Station Master.

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According to the CBI,each candidate had to pay to the tune of Rs 3.5 lakh for selection,and deposit their original certificates with Jagannatham. The question paper was provided to them a day prior to the examination. The certificates were returned after the candidates had paid the entire amount.

Jagannatham and his son Srujan were produced in the designated court in Hyderabad along with Vivek Bhardwaj,the son of Mumbai RRB chairman S M Sharma,and the tout on Thursday. All were sent to 14 days judicial remand. The CBI also arrested an employee of the Andhra Pradesh Health Department and three Hyderabad-based touts.

The CBI said searches in Mumbai have led to the detection of Rs 60 lakh in banks accounts held by members of S M Sharmas family. Bank passbooks and laptops have been seized. It was alleged that Vivek recently purchased a Mitsubishi Pajero sports utility vehicle in the name of a relative.

In Hyderabad,Rs 21.5 lakh in cash and original certificates of 444 aspirants were recovered from the residence of the then ADRM (Jagannatham), Bhal said. He said Rs 12 lakh were recovered from Jagannatham at a hotel in Bangalore where he was staying,along with question papers and original certificates of aspirants.