The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on Monday issued a clarification following a report on an RTI request linked to the Rail Neer case, saying the “complete factual position” needed to be taken into account.
The PTI report, carried by The Telegraph Online with the headline “Central Information Commission pulls up IRCTC over RTI denial in Rail Neer scam”, had said the Central Information Commission found the IRCTC’s response to a Right to Information query inadequate and directed it to provide a fresh, reasoned reply.
“At the onset, IRCTC submits that the news item is not correct & highly misleading,” the IRCTC rejoinder, sent by email, said.
“Further, the factual position in the matter is as follows: applicant Shri Rakesh Kumar Gupta, filed RTI on 11/06/24, seeking information whether some applicants who had applied for cluster tenders have declared that CBI and ED has registered cases against them.
“As the information sought by the applicant was exempted under 8 (d) of RTI act, IRCTC vide its reply 16/07/24, submitted that the information sought is exempted under RTI.
“Further, the matter went to Hon'ble CIC and Hon'ble CIC vide order dated 07/01/26, advised IRCTC to provide a fresh speaking reply to the applicant. The same has been complied by giving speaking reply to the applicant.
“The heading has been made in such a way to sensationalize the matter, malign IRCTC and not based on facts. Furthermore, it will also be not out of place here to inform that the applicant is an unsuccessful bidder and the matter concerns other participant bidders thereby indicating the inter-rivalries,” the statement added.