PM Modi's pet bullet train hits corruption bump, project chief sacked

THE Indian Railways has terminated the services of NHSRCL (National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited) managing director (MD) Satish Agnihotri who was in charge of the Narendra Modi government's prestigious bullet train project, senior officials said on Thursday (7).

Rajendra Prasad, director, projects, NHSRCL, has been handed over the charge for three months, the officials said.

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Senior railway officials said there were several allegations against Agnihotri, including misuse of official position and diverting funds in an unauthorised manner to a private company.

They said the decision to terminate the services of Agnihotri came following a June 2 Lokpal court order directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe charges of a "quid pro quo" deal allegedly struck by the former NHSRCL MD with a private company during his nine-year tenure as the CMD of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).

The Lokpal court has directed the CBI to "ascertain whether any offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, is made out" against Agnihotri and to submit the probe report to the Lokpal office within six months or before December 12, 2022.

"The competent authority has approved the termination of office of Satish Agnihotri. He has been directed to be relieved with immediate effect," read the July 7 letter of the Railway Board, addressed to the company secretary of the NHSRCL.

NHSRCL is a joint venture of the Indian government and participating states for implementing high-speed rail projects.

Officials also alleged that Agnihotri took up a job in a private firm within a year of his retirement. This was in violation of government rules which prohibits retired officials from accepting commercial employment before one year of retirement without the government's approval.

Sources close to Agnihotri told the Press Trust of India that the senior bureaucrat has denied all the allegations and said that he had not favoured a particular company and neither did his son work in any such firm which bagged such works.