IRCTC Rejects 'Rail Neer Scam' Report, Calls RTI Denial Claims Misleading
The issue originated from an RTI application filed on June 11, 2024, by Rakesh Kumar Gupta
NEW DELHI: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has strongly refuted a recent media report alleging a "Rail Neer Scam" and the deliberate denial of Right to Information (RTI) data. The railway public sector undertaking dismissed the report as "highly misleading" and an attempt to sensationalize the matter.
In a formal rejoinder issued to Deccan Chronicle on April 6, 2026, IRCTC clarified the sequence of events surrounding the RTI application that sparked the controversy.
The issue originated from an RTI application filed on June 11, 2024, by Rakesh Kumar Gupta. Gupta requested information on whether specific applicants for cluster tenders had declared pending cases against them by investigative agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
IRCTC initially declined to provide the data on July 16, 2024, citing an exemption under Section 8(d) of the RTI Act. The applicant then escalated the matter to the Central Information Commission (CIC). On January 7, 2026, the CIC instructed IRCTC to provide a "fresh speaking reply" to the applicant. In its rejoinder, IRCTC confirmed that it has fully complied with the CIC's directive and furnished the reply.
Beyond clarifying the timeline, IRCTC raised concerns about the underlying motives of the RTI request. The corporation highlighted that the applicant, Gupta, was an "unsuccessful bidder" in the tendering process. IRCTC suggested that the RTI was not filed in the public interest, but rather stemmed from "inter-rivalries" among competing bidders.
Condemning the original report's headline as an attempt to "malign IRCTC," the corporation has formally requested the publication to print its clarification to correct the public record.