Railways sacks Satish Agnihotri, in-charge of bullet train project

Officials said the complaints against him were made by one of his batchmates after he got the job of heading the NHSRCL.

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Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train
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NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): The Railways has sacked NHSRCL Managing Director Satish Agnihotri. He was the in-charge of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. According to the officials, Rajendra Prasad, Director, Projects of NHSRCL has been handed over the charge for three months.

According to the PTI report, Senior Railway officials said there were several allegations against Agnihotri which also includes 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 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 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,” the letter of the Railway Board which was addressed to the company secretary of the NHSRCL stated.

According to the officials, Agnihotri allegedly 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 Centre’s approval.

Sources close to Agnihotri told PTI that he 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.

Officials said the complaints against him were made by one of his batchmates after he got the job of heading the NHSRCL, which is the implementing agency of the bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

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