Balasore train accident: CBI files chargesheet against three Railway officials

Balasore: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has today filed a chargesheet against three Railway Officials in the court of Special Judicial Magistrate, Bhubaneswar. The officials were arrested on July 7, 2023, and are presently in judicial custody in an on-going investigation of the case related to train accident at Bahanaga Bazar Railway Station, Balasore (Odisha).

The officials include then Senior Sectional Engineer SSE (Signal) Incharge Balasore Arun Kumar Mahanta, then SSE (Signal) Soro Md Amir Khan and then Technician Balasore Pappu Kumar.

Based on evidence adduced during investigation of the case, commission of offences under sections 304 (Part II) of IPC (Culpable Homicide not amounting to murder), 34 r/w 201 of IPC (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence with common intention) and 153 of Railways Act, 1989 (Endangering safety of persons travelling by railways by willful act or omission) were made out against the said accused. Accordingly, a charge-sheet has been filed against them.
CBI had registered the instant case on June 6, 2023 following the request of Ministry of Railways, consent of the Odisha Government and further orders from DoPT (Govt. of India) relating to the train mishap involving Coromandel Express, Yashwantpur-Howrah Express and a Goods train at Bahanaga Bazar in the State of Odisha on June 2, 2023. The case was earlier registered at Balasore GRPS, GRP Cuttack (Odisha) vide GRPS Case No. 64 dated June 3, 2023 regarding the said mishap.

Further investigation has been kept open on aspect of larger conspiracy and for possible involvement of others.