Intensifying its probe into the Bahanaga train tragedy in Balasore which claimed over 290 lives, the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) officials grilled the three arrested accused at Chandaka Police Station on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
According to sources, a five-member team of the central probe agency reached Chandaka Police station this morning to interrogate the three accused- Senior Section Engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Section Engineer Mohammed Amir Khan, and Technician Pappu Kumar.
All three officials, who were posted in Balasore, were arrested on Friday.
Notably, the three Railway staff have been arrested under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence).
The trio has been kept at the Chandaka Police Station instead of the CBI office owing to security arrangements, sources informed, adding that the probe agency has also summoned another railway employee in connection with the case.
After apprehending the trio, the CBI produced the accused before the court and sought seven-day remand for questioning.
However, the Special Court in Bhubaneswar granted five days of remand to CBI.
Earlier this week, the inquiry report of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Eastern Circle stated that the deadly train mishap at Bahanaga station in Odisha’s Balasore had occurred due to lapses in the signaling circuit alteration carried out at the North Signal Goomty (of the station) in the past.
Notably, the triple train accident involving Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train laden with iron ore on June 2 at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore claimed over 290 lives.