The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Deputy Chief Engineer (Construction) of East Central Railway, Hajipur, along with an Office Superintendent, a Project Manager of a private firm, and another employee in a bribery and corruption case involving alleged approval of inferior construction materials and illegal financial favours. The arrests were made following a trap operation conducted on 17 November 2025.
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Complaint and Initial Findings
According to the CBI, the case was registered on 17 November 2025 after reliable information indicated active collusion between officials of East Central Railway and representatives of M/s JPW Infratech. The information suggested that the Deputy Chief Engineer and his subordinates were receiving illegal payments from the contractor in exchange for clearing construction-related bills, overlooking deficiencies in materials, and granting undue benefits to the company.
Early findings revealed that the accused were involved in a structured arrangement under which cash was routinely delivered to the officials to facilitate approvals and shield the contractor from scrutiny. The illegal arrangement allegedly caused wrongful financial gain to the contractor while resulting in losses to the Union government.
CBI Trap and Arrests
A trap was laid by CBI investigators on 17 November. During the operation, the Office Superintendent was caught red-handed while accepting illicit money from representatives of JPW Infratech. Following this, the Project Manager and another employee of the company were also apprehended.
During searches conducted immediately after the trap, CBI teams recovered ₹98,81,500 in cash, kept in eight separate envelopes, packets and bags, each marked with distinct identifiers. According to investigators, the markings on the envelopes indicate a systematic distribution channel for payments, possibly pointing to multiple beneficiaries.
The named accused, the Deputy Chief Engineer, was detained, questioned, and subsequently arrested based on the evidence emerging from the trap and the material recovered.
Searches Across Four States
CBI has so far carried out searches at 11 separate locations in connection with the case. These include:
- Five locations in Bihar
- One in Jharkhand
- Three in Chhattisgarh
- Two in West Bengal
These searches resulted in the seizure of documents, electronic devices, financial records and other materials relevant to the investigation. The agency is continuing further searches and analysis to establish the full scale of the alleged corruption network.
Custodial Interrogation Granted
All arrested individuals were produced before the court, where the CBI sought custodial interrogation. The court granted the agency permission to conduct custodial questioning of the accused. The investigators state that interrogation is necessary to understand the flow of bribe money, the extent of the conspiracy, and the involvement of additional officials or private individuals.
Impact on Public Works and Ongoing Probe
The case has raised serious questions about quality control and oversight in railway construction projects. If the allegations are substantiated, the conduct described in the FIR reflects a pattern of deliberate collusion that undermines public safety and results in significant financial loss to the government.
The CBI is now examining:
- Whether similar practices were occurring in other projects under the same division.
- The overall quantum of bribes exchanged.
- The extent of sub-standard material used in ongoing or completed works.
- Possible involvement of additional officials within the Railway construction hierarchy.
Investigators expect further revelations as the analysis of seized documents and digital evidence continues.
