Balasore train crash: CBI files chargesheet, 3 railway officials accused of destroying evidence

In connection with the 2 June Balasore train accident case, the Central Bureau of Investigation on 2 September filed a charge sheet against three arrested Railways officials for alleged culpable homicide not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying.

Earlier on 7 July, the CBI had arrested the three -- senior section engineer (Signals) Arun Kumar Mahanta, section engineer Amir Khand, and technician Pappu Kumar, all posted in Balasore district. All the three accused were held in connection with its probe into the accident involving three trains which left 296 people dead and over 1,200 injured.

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On 2 June, the Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary freight train at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district, and some of its derailed coaches fell onto the adjacent tracks and collided with the oncoming Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express.

The CBI, in its charge sheet filed before the Special CBI court in Bhubaneswar, has charged the accused under Indian Penal Code Section 304 part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 34 read with 201 (common cause read with the destruction of evidence) and 153 of the Railways Act.

The CBI has alleged that the repair work at the level crossing gate number 94 near Bahanaga Bazar station was done by Mahanta using the circuit diagram of LC gate no. 79, the officials said.

The duty of the accused was to ensure that testing, overhauling, and carrying out alterations to the existing signal and interlocking installations were by the approved plan and instructions which he did not do, they said.

With agency inputs.