Probing the Balasore train tragedy, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in a big move, has sealed the house of a Signal Junior Engineer of the Soro section, Amir Khan. The rented house of Khan has been sealed by the central agency, where he lived with his family.
On the other hand, it was widely reported that Khan was absconding with his family, but these claims have been refuted by a Railways Spokesperson, as he said, “Certain media reports have stated that a staff member of the Bahanaga station is absconding and is missing. But this is not factually correct. All the members of the staff are here and are present”.
The JE Amir Khan was questioned at an undisclosed location by the CBI, during its initial investigation. The CBI which had reached the accident site on June 16, had returned on June 19 to seal the residence of Khan. As per the initial investigation, the signal on the line was apparently manipulated. The preliminary probe by the Indian Railways had also highlighted ‘interference’ with the electronic interlocking system and points, that ensure the safe movement of trains, as the root cause of the accident.
The Bahanaga railway station has also been sealed and will remain so until further notice. As per sources, CBI is also looking into the involvement of five railway employees, including the station master as the Bahanaga Bazar station where the accident took place. Sources said that four other employees were responsible for signalling-related work and were on duty at the time of the accident.
