India, Sept. 10 -- The Central Information Commission (CIC) has fined two railway officials a total of Rs 20,000 for failing to handle an RTI application properly and not discharging their statutory responsibilities. It also ordered that a caution issued to the then first appellate authority over his handling of the RTI plea be noted in his service record, observing that existing records cannot be mechanically denied.

The officers had denied an RTI plea, saying it was outside the scope of Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005.

The commission imposed a penalty of Rs 15,000 on the present Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of Southern Railway and Rs 5,000 on the then CPIO under Section 20(1) of the RTI Act. The RTI applicant had sought...