M A I N   N E W S

CBI nabs 2 ex-CWG officials as probe throws up murky details
Kumar Rakesh
Tribune News Service

n TS Darbari and S Mohindroo were sacked by the OC after the deals were exposed. n The OC officials forged emails, purportedly sent by the Indian High Commission, to justify the awards of contracts. n Firms were most probably asked to jack up their prices, being assured well in advance that they would bag them. n Kalmadi, a Lok Sabha member, was last week sacked as CPP secretary due to clouds of suspicion

TS Darbari

The probe ahead The CBI would produce Darbari and Mohindroo before a court on Tuesday and in all likelihood seek their custodial interrogation. Their interrogation could unravel the conspiracy which went into these shoddy deals and also the possible involvement of their higher-ups. When he was sacked from the OC, Darbari had said he was being made a scapegoat and he could spill beans on more officials. CBI would question or take more stringent action against the OC’s top brass, including Kalmadi and Bhanot, only if the interrogation details of the arrested officials point to their involvement. The CBI would also initiate proceedings to get Patel extradited to India.

New Delhi, November 15
Two former senior officials of the Organising Committee (OC), Commonwealth Games, and close aides of OC’s chairman Suresh Kalmadi were arrested today by the CBI. The arrest of TS Darbari, joint director general, revenue and marketing, and Sanjay Mohindroo, deputy director general, marketing, on charges of corruption, forgery and criminal conspiracy is the most tangible action so far by a prosecuting agency in the wake of multiple probes started by various government bodies into the suspected cases of CWG corruption.

Two London-based sister firms, which had a man of Indian origin as the director, also figure as accused in the two FIRs registered by the CBI besides the director, DIG Anurag of CBI told the media.

The shoddy deals were signed by Kalmadi and Lalit Bhanot, the secretary general of the OC, and official sources said both of them could be questioned by the investigating officials in coming days depending upon how the probe unfolded.

A director-level official of the OC, Raj Singh, is also an accused but has not been arrested. Residences of the accused OC officials were raided besides that of the OC at Jantar Mantar.

CBI officials said both London-based firms — AM Car & Van Services and AM Films — were awarded contracts on October 24, 2009, for Queen Baton relay, which was held in London five days later. Anurag said no bids were called and nor were any other standard procedures followed by the OC. Kalmadi had defended the decision when the suspect methods were exposed weeks before the Games, saying that they had to do away with the formalities due to the immediate requirement of cars and video screens for the Relay.

The CBI probe, however, unravelled that Darbari and Mohindroo were in touch with Patel weeks before his firms were awarded contracts. Another claim of the OC that the firms were on the panel of Indian High Commission in London has also proved to be bogus.

What more the OC officials forged emails, purportedly sent by the Indian High Commission, to justify the awards of contracts to the two firms of little repute. Kalmadi had shown these mails to defend the deals.

“The mails were forged by Mohindroo. Darbari and he were in touch with Patel several weeks prior to the signing of contract on October 24. This is a conclusive proof to nail the ulterior motives of these officials. Now we want to know if more OC officials were involved in the scam,” a senior official said.

Darbari and Mohindroo were sacked by the OC after the deals were exposed, only on the prodding of the government.

CBI officials said the worth of the contracts was too high vis-a-vis market rates and the firms were most probably asked to jack up their prices, been assured well in advance that they would bag them.

The Enforcement Directorate had earlier registered a case regarding the same. The CBI probe, however, would be more widespread and throw up significant evidence in connection with the CWG irregularities.