IRCTC today said Saradha Tours & Travels was on its panel as one of the sales agents but no "special favour or privilege" was extended to it.
In a new twist to the Saradha ponzi scam investifgation, CBI officers have stumbled upon information that Saradha Tours and Travels were made official partners of IRCTC in the Railways' package tour of South India, under the Bharat Teertha scheme introduced by then Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in her 2010-11 budget.
Describing the media reports that Saradha Tours & Travels was a service provider of the IRCTC as "factually incorrect", the Railway PSU, in a statement said the agency was empanelled as a sales agent for marketing of tourism products on travel agent's commission basis and nothing else.
Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation is in the tourism business and empanelment of travel agents for marketing of tourism products is a part and parcel of its tourism business activities, the PSU said.
"In line with this, M/s Saradha Tours & Travels Pvt Ltd was empanelled as direct sales agent of IRCTC/East Zone for marketing of tourism products on travel agent's commission basis like several other agents empanelled," the statement added.
Out of the three Bharat Teerth Trips originating from Kolkatta, Saradha Tours & Travels had booked passengers in first two trips along with other travel agents, it said.
A total 185 tickets were booked through Saradha Tours & Travels on commission basis on par with all other travel agents, the statement said adding "no special privilege or favour was extended to Saradha Tours & Travels Pvt Ltd.
