Probe by the Central agencies has revealed that at least in nine contracts, including overlays, related to the Commonwealth Games, standard operation procedure (SOP) was blatantly violated by the top brass of the Organising Committee (OC) and other government agencies.
According to sources in certain functional areas no financial bylaws were followed by the OC members for the planning and conduct of the expenditure. At least 20 contracts related to the supply of materials to the Games venues and overlays are being scrutinised by the probe agencies.
“The agency has so far found that in nine contracts SOPs were violated by the OC members as well government agencies. Probe has also revealed that “technical criteria” as well as the list of “approved vendors” were also violated by OC, headed by Suresh Kalmadi, and other agencies, sources added. Sources further said that the estimated budget of `1,000 crores for upgradation and construction of five stadia crossed the limit of `2,460 crores, which forced agencies to scan the documents pertaining to the contracts awarded to various contractors by the OC and other agencies concerned. The agencies have also decided to question certain OC members and private contractors in this regard, sources added.
“Probe agencies have also found that, in certain cases, vendors to supply the equipment were chosen according to preferences of the OC members and construction agencies, while the list of approved vendors was overlooked,” sources said.
The circumstances under which the government was forced to make an extra payment of almost `1,460 crores needs to be probed, sources added. Apart from the construction of stadia, three other projects including flyover at Shastri Nagar, elevated road from Sarai Kale Khan to Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, and grade separator in Ghazipur are also under the scanner of the probe agencies.
Besides, the CBI has also started probing works awarded by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for upgradation of street lights in the city for the games. The CBI has already registered a case against four MCD officials in this regard.
Meanwhile, the ED is also scrutinising the details of the payments made to an Australian firm namely Sports Marketing And Management (SMAM) by the OC.
According to sources the ED is also probing the shareholding pattern of a subsidiary of SMAM, which had bagged the CWG contract for getting sponsorship for the Games.