Railway sacks Satish Agnihotri, in charge of Bullet train Project, Accused of Transferring Money to a Private Entity

The Indian Railways has sacked Satish Agnihotri, the Managing Director of the National High-Speed ​​Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL). Agnihotri was in charge of the government's ambitious bullet train project. The charge of Agnihotri has been handed over to NHSRCL Project Director Rajendra Prasad for three months, officials said. The NHSRCL is a joint venture between the Government of India and partner states for the implementation of high-speed rail projects. It also serves as an implementing agency of the government's ambitious bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

Senior railway officials have said that there are several charges against Agnihotri, including misuse of official position and unauthorized transfer of money to a private company. He said the decision to terminate Agnihotri's services came after a June 2 order of the Lokpal court, asking the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) the former managing director of NHSRCL with a private company to benefit each other. An inquiry was ordered into the allegations of the alleged contract. He said that Agnihotri had allegedly carried out these activities during his nine-year tenure as CMD of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).

The Lokpal court had directed the CBI to "find out whether an offense under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 is made out against Agnihotri" and submit the inquiry report to the Lokpal office within six months or before December 12, 2022. Go. The Railway Board's letter dated July 7, addressed to the Company Secretary, NHSRCL, said, "The Competent Authority has approved the termination of services of Satish Agnihotri. He is relieved with immediate effect.” The officials have also alleged that Agnihotri joined a private company within a year of his retirement. This is in violation of the government's rules that prohibit retired officers from accepting any commercial appointment one year after retirement without the permission of the Centre.

Sources close to Agnihotri told PTI that the senior bureaucrat has denied all the allegations and said that he did not benefit from any particular company nor does his son work in any such company to which the tasks were assigned. . Agnihotri has also said that he had written a letter to the Personnel Department requesting him to relax the one-year cooling-off period before joining the company, he said. When contacted, Agnihotri declined to comment on the matter. Officials said that after Agnihotri got the coveted post as the head of NHSRCL, one of his 'batchmates' had complained against him.