The raids at computerised reservation office at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Kurla Terminus and Ghatkopar station were carried out following complaints of alleged irregularities and collusion of reservation staff in the activities of touts, CBI said.

During the check at CST, excess cash of Rs 6,289 was found at two reservation counters, while at Kurla Terminus two employees were found in possession of Rs 10,000 and Rs 8040 in excess of their declared private cash, a CBI release said. Besides, Rs 700 along with two railway reservation requisition slips were found in the dustbin in the reservation office, it said.

In another check at reservation office at Ghatkopar railway station, an excess cash of Rs 1337 was found in declared private cash list, it said.

However, railway officials in Mumbai were not aware of these raids. Central Railway (CR) General Manager K B Shankaran was away in Delhi and not available for comment.

According to a CR spokesperson, such raids were regularly carried out by the railway's vigilance department. ``Checking is frequent, however discovery of excess cash is not all that frequent.''

He stated that both the Central and Western Railway had deputed a Railway Section Officer of the rank of inspector with the CBI in Mumbai to handle rail-related cases.

The normal procedure in such cases was that the CBI would advise the railways on suspension of any guilty employee after which a Discipline and Appeal (DAR) rule would be invoked. Depending on the gravity of the charges involved, the guilty railway officials were issued chargesheets and face punishment including removal or dismissal from service.

The raids in Mumbai were part of a nationwide action conducted by the CBI including Jallandhar and Chennai where travel agents were found extensively indulging in cash sale transactions running into several crores of rupees.