The CBI on Saturday filed a chargesheet against three arrested railway officials in connection with the June 2 Balasore triple-train accident that claimed 296 lives, accusing them of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing disappearance of evidence and endangering the safety of passengers.

The chargesheet, filed in the court of the special judicial magistrate of Bhubaneswar, names Arun Kumar Mahanta, senior section engineer (signal) posted in Balasore; Mohammed Amir Khan, senior section engineer (signal) posted in Soro; and Pappu Kumar, a technician posted in Balasore. They were arrested on July 7 and are in judicial custody. All three were suspended after their arrest.

In a media release, the CBI said: “Based on evidence adduced during investigation of the case, commission of offences under Sections 304 (Part II) of IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 34 r/w 201 of IPC (causing disappearance of evidence of offence with common intention) and 153 of the Railways Act, 1989 (endangering safety of persons travelling by railways by willful act or omission) were made out against the said accused. Accordingly, a chargesheet has been filed against them.”

The CBI had registered the case on June 6.

The June 2 accident involved the Chennai-bound Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, the Bangalore-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district. The Coromandel Express hit the stationary goods train after entering the loop track. Its derailed carriages crashed into the two rear bogies of the Superfast Express. Other than the 296 people who died, over 1,200 were injured.

Additional reporting by PTI