The CBI on Tuesday searched the premises in Mumbai of suspended Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar and his aide, an RPF inspector, and recovered property documents and jewellery of “substantial value”, which were allegedly removed from the former’s residence soon after his arrest in the Railgate case.
The agency is in the process of studying the documents with the help of railway officials, even though CBI officials couldn’t confirm if Mahesh owned any benami property in railway housing schemes.
The CBI searched the official residence that Mahesh was allotted as the general manager of Western Railway, a post he held till his recent promotion as member(staff) of the Board. He didn’t vacate the house as he was allegedly trying to retain the post of the general manager till he got the coveted post of member (electrical). The investigation agency said Mahesh’s wife had shifted valuables and property documents to the RPF officer’s house at Bhayender here soon after he was arrested at the Mumbai airport on May 3. While conducting searches at Mahesh’s premises ,the CBI suspected that he might have shifted out the valuables. The agency then questioned Mahesh’s family members and other acquaintances. The CBI had arrested Mahesh on charges of paying a `90 lakh bribe to Railway Minister’s nephew Vijay Singla via Manjunath, a Bangalore business man.