The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to register a regular case related to the alleged large-scale financial irregularities in contracts worth `700 crores awarded towards overlay for the Commonwealth Games 2010 in a day or two.
The probe agency has also collected sufficient evidence from the Organising Committee (OC) of the Commonwealth Games to register a preliminary enquiry (PE) related to the alleged financial irregularities committed while awarding contracts worth `3.2 crore to London-based A.M. Films in connection with the Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) by Saturday.
According to sources, the agency has collected sufficient documents related to the financial transactions of four business consortiums who were awarded contracts worth `700 crore for overlay. The agency has also looked into the role played by some of the OC members in awarding of the contracts to Indian companies for overlay, sources added.
“The agency has also collected some documents related to the companies from the Income-Tax department,” sources said, adding that the I-T department had carried out searches at the offices of four business consortiums who were awarded contracts for overlays for the Commonwealth Games on October 19.
Sources further said, “All the four consortiums have a foreign company as a partner. The I-T department had carried out searches at 30 locations spread over Delhi and the national capital region (NCR), Chandigarh and Ludhiana”.
The consortium, whose Indian partners’ offices were searched include: Comfort Net and Nussli India consortium, ESG Arena and D-Art furniture consortium and G.L. Litmus and Meroform consortium, sources said. The CBI officials have also collected contract papers that were signed by the Organising Committee, invoices and other material, sources added.
Besides, the CBI officials are preparing to register PE in connection with financial irregularities related to the QBR, in which London-based A.M. Films was allegedly involved.
The Enforcement Directorate has already registered a case under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (Fema) in this regard and also questioned suspended joint director general T.S. Darbari, a close aide of OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi.
“If required, CBI officials will question top OC members in this connection after the PE is registered. CBI officials are in touch with ED officials too,” sources said.
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‘Tender documents tweaked’
age correspondent
New Delhi
Oct. 28: CVC investigations into the street-lighting scam related to the CWG in the capital has revealed that tender documents worth `135 crore were either tampered with or manipulated in an alleged bid to favour some private parties.
The Central Vigilance Commission has reportedly given details of their new findings to the CBI.
Meanwhile, the CBI on Thursday said that it was still investigating the suspected irregularities in a tender issued for upgrading street lightning in New Delhi ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The case was registered long back in the month of June. We had conducted raids and the investigations are still on, said a CBI officer.