The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested five railway officers, including Sanjay Tiwari, a deputy chief commercial manager with Western Railway in Mumbai, over allegations of bribery linked to a departmental examination. The arrests come amid serious accusations that officials were accepting bribes in exchange for favoring candidates appearing for the Limited Departmental Examination of Western Railway.
Raids were conducted across 11 locations, including Vadodara in Gujarat, leading to the seizure of a 650-gram gold bar, approximately ₹5 lakh in cash, electronic devices, and important documents. Among those taken into custody were senior railway personnel, including a senior divisional personnel officer, a divisional personnel officer, a deputy station superintendent, and a nursing superintendent from the Divisional Railway Hospital in Sabarmati, along with a private individual.
According to the CBI’s findings, a network of officials had allegedly conspired to collect substantial bribes from candidates seeking favorable treatment in the examination process. The divisional personnel officer is believed to have directed subordinates to compile a list of candidates willing to pay for selection. It is further alleged that Sanjay Tiwari and another official coordinated with a private individual to approach candidates and secure payments.
Investigators also uncovered a suspicious gold purchase in Vadodara, where an accused individual had reportedly contacted a jeweler to buy 400 grams of gold using unaccounted cash. During the operation, a nursing superintendent was found in possession of 650 grams of gold, allegedly obtained through a ₹57 lakh transaction meant for another accused in the case.
The arrests have sent shockwaves through the railway department, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the selection process for internal promotions. While the legal process will take its course, the incident underscores the ongoing battle against corruption in public institutions and the need for stronger safeguards to ensure fairness and transparency.
