A day after the Delhi high court granted bail to sacked official of the organising committee (OC) of the Commonwealth Games, T.S. Darbari, a city court on Saturday granted bail to another sacked OC official, Sanjay Mohindroo. The court granted bail to Mr Mohindroo on the grounds that the CBI has not been able to file its chargesheet within the stipulated 60-day period. Mr Darbari too was granted bail on the same grounds on Friday. Mr Darbari and Mr Mohindroo, both considered close associates of OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi, were arrested by the CBI on November 15, 2010, in connection with alleged irregularities committed during the conduct of the Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) in London on 2009.
Granting bail, special Judge O.P. Saini said: “In pursuance of the Delhi high court order, the accused is enlarged on bail.” The court also asked Mr Mohindroo not to leave the country without its permission and not try to tamper with the evidence or influence the witnesses in the case while on bail. Mohindroo, who was joint director general in the OC, had to furnish a personal bond of `50,000 and two sureties of same amount as per bail conditions.
The bail plea of the third OC official, M. Jayachandran, who too was arrested in the same case, is also pending before the Delhi high court, which will take it up on January 17. However, since he was arrested on November 21, the CBI still has time till January 20 to file a chargesheet against him.
The accused are facing charges of causing losses to the exchequer in award of contract to the tune of `1.55 crores with regard to the QBR on October 29, 2009 in London before the Commonwealth Games.
The CBI had registered two cases in connection with contracts awarded to London-based AM Films and AM Car and Van Hire Limited at exorbitant rates.
After Mr Darbari was granted bail, there were talks that he may turn approver in the case for the CBI. All the arrested accused have so far maintained that all major decisions were taken by the OC top brass and they had nothing to do with them in their individual capacities. The CBI has already questioned Mr Kalmadi in this connection.