Organisations of suspended officials in 'Neer' scam under lens

The CBI is likely to investigate an NGO run by rail official Sandip Silas, who has been suspended for his alleged involvement in the Rail Neer Scam.

The agency is also said to be scanning the role of a company owned by the son of another suspended official in the case, M S Chaliam.

Both the organisations are being probed for their possible role in routing the money received as bribes.

Silas and Chaliam have been suspended for their alleged involvement in the scam in which private caterers were supplying cheap and sub-standard packaged bottles of drinking water in place of Rail Neer. According to their contract, they had to supply only Rail Neer.

The NGO, Garlands of Peace, which has come under scanner, says it is an organisation dedicated to peace. Silas runs many peace projects through it.

According to the NGO’s website, Silas has been doing some ambitious projects. One of his projects accepted by the Sri Lankan government relates to making a Sita-Rama Heritage Tourism Trail in Sri Lanka, linking all the Ramayana sites for promotion of tourism.

He is also pursuing with the UN a project to declare all war ruins in the world as Peace Heritage Sites.

The CBI is likely to investigate the NGO for its possible role in routing bribe money received from private caterers. The company of the son of suspended official Chaliam has come under scanner for the same reason.

Seven other companies have been named in the case registered by the CBI.

They include RK Associates, Satyam Caterers,  Ambuj Hotel and Real Estate, PK Associates, Sunsine, Brandavan Food Product and Food World. The case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to the supply chain established for premium trains, IRCTC supplies Rail Neer to the private caterers at Rs 10.50 a bottle.

The caterers supply it to passengers at Rs 15. In this case, the private caterers had managed these officials in a way that they used to supply packaged drinking water available in the market at Rs 6 to 7 per bottle.