CBI arrests Guntakal DRM in a graft case

Tirupati : CBI has arrested South Central Railway Guntakal divisional railway manager (DRM) Vineet Singh and a few other higher officials in a graft case. They were arrested by CBI at Guntakal on Friday and the arrest was informed to the additional DRM on Saturday. It was learnt that CBI acted on a complaint from contractors from whom the DRM demanded percentages.

It was for the first time that top officials of SCR’s Guntakal division were arrested in a graft case which has shocked many railway officials. CBI has reportedly held searches in Guntakal railway division office for about three days and finally arrested the officers.

Along with Vineeth Singh, senior divisional finance manager (DFM) Kundra Pradeep Babu, former senior divisional engineer and present chief engineer at SCR hea dquarters U Akki Reddy, office superintendent M Balaji and Accounts Assistant D Lakshmipathi Raju were arrested while investigating the case Rc2182024A0013 of CBI AC-III New Delhi under prevention of corruption Act. Among them, Akki Reddy was arrested in Secunderabad.

It may be noted that a Rs 120 crore bridge construction work is going on at Piler of Annamayya district which was taken up by contractors Satyanarayana and Ramesh. The contractors had a fight with the authorities a few months ago in connection with contract percentages. On getting a tip of it, the CBI officials plunged into action and reached Guntakal for further investigation of the matter.

As part of the investigation, they reportedly raided the houses of DRM Vineet Singh and his office, along with DFM Pradeep Babu and others residences. The arrested officials were shifted to Guntakal Government Hospital for medical examination and sent for remand.

Unconfirmed reports say that the tainted officers were involved in the commissions relating to Tirupati station redevelopment works as well, which are going on for the past two years. Though the works are to be completed before February 2025, it appears impossible to complete the works by that date.

These works were allotted under Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) to a contractor from Delhi while all sub-contracts were given to local people. Some of the officials arrested by CBI were learnt to have demanded bribes in the form of percentages in these works as well.

It is important to note here that after taking charge as DRM, Vineet Singh was rarely visiting the works progress while his predecessors have made regular monitoring.