Waltair DRM Arrested in Mumbai on Corruption Charges CBI Arrests DRM of Waltair Division in Rs 25 Lakh Bribery Case

Visakhapatnam: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Saurabh Prasad, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) for East Coast Railway’s Waltair Division, in a corruption case involving a bribe of Rs 25 lakh. The bribe was allegedly paid by Sanil Rathod, the proprietor of a Mumbai-based private firm, DN Marketing, in exchange for reducing penalties imposed on the company for underperformance in railway contracts.

The CBI’s sting operation on November 16 led to Prasad’s arrest, and two additional contractors, Anand Bhagat of Pune-based HRK Solutions and Rathod, were also taken into custody. The DRM, a 1991-batch officer, reportedly demanded the bribe to intervene and reduce the penalty on Rs 3.17 crore worth of pending bills for the company. Following his intervention, the penalties were reduced, and the company's dues were cleared.

In raids at the DRM's residence, CBI officials seized Rs 87.6 lakh in cash and foreign currency, along with jewelry worth Rs 72 lakh, and incriminating documents, including bank papers and property investments. This arrest follows similar cases of corruption in the railway sector, including the arrest of five senior railway officials earlier this year.