Odisha Train Tragedy: CBI Questions Signal JE Amir Khan At His ‘Sealed’ Rented House

Balasore: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday questioned Soro Signal Junior Engineer (JE) Amir Khan in connection with triple train accident at Bahanaga, at his rented house in Odisha’s Balasore, which was sealed by a five-member team of the central agency the previous morning.

A three-member CBI team and the junior engineer, a native of West Bengal, reached his rented house in the morning. The agency searched his house, grilled him for over 6 hours and then left with him in the evening, a source said.

According to media reports, the JE was initially interrogated by the agency at an undisclosed location and the entire family was found missing when the team reached his house early on Monday. Some neighbours, however, said that the house had been locked ever since the accident.

A senior Railway official had earlier told the Indian Express that the CBI team may bring the engineer for further interrogation to his house because of which it was sealed. It will be opened in his presence, the official added.

South Eastern Railway also denied media reports that one of the staff is missing/absconding. “It is to be clarified that all the staff are part of CBI and CRS enquiry. None of the staff are missing/absconding.”

This was not the only rumour related to a missing Railways staffer. About two weeks ago, some had claimed on social media that the station master of Bahanaga Bazar railway station — a man they identified as one Mohammed Sharif Ahmed — was absconding since the accident. It later turned out that there was no station master by that name at the crash site.

ROLE OF SIGNAL JE

The signal JE is responsible for installation, maintenance, and repair of signalling equipment, including signals, track circuits, point machines, and interlocking systems. Overall, they play a critical role in ensuring  the safety of train operations.

It is worth noting that the role of a signal JE may vary depending on the particular division or zone within the Indian Railways.

The CBI had taken over the investigation on June 6 amid allegations of tampering with the electronic interlocking system. Railway officials had hinted at “deliberate interference with the electronic interlocking system. “You get green signal only after fulfilling all the pre-conditions such as whether the route is set and everything is right. Even if there is a minor problem, technically, there cannot be a green signal in any circumstance; it becomes red. It can’t go green unless and until someone has tampered with it, someone has physically tampered with it,” Divisional Railway Manager (DRM)of Khurda, Rinkesh Roy told the media.

The central agency had earlier sealed the relay room, panel and other equipment at the Bahanaga Bazar railway station and seized  book and digital logs before and after the accident from the record room for forensic examination. The relay interlocking panel was also sealed, resulting in the suspension of employee access to the signaling system and train operations at Bahanaga Bazar station.

They had also interrogated a number of Railway officials, including the staff posted at accident spot and seized their mobile phones.

The tragic accident, involving Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, a stationary goods train and Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, has claimed 292 lives so far.