New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday searched the offices and homes of four Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) officials and filed cases against two of them - Lalit Bhanot and V.K. Verma - for alleged financial lapses.
Raids are on at Kalmadi's close aide Additional Director General Sangeeta Welinkar and at the residence of former games organising committee Joint Director General RK Sacheti.
CBI said that the accused officials misused their position and entered into criminal conspiracy and cheated the Government of India.
While Bhanot is the OC Secretary General, Verma is the OC Director General. A case has been filed against them for cheating and misuse of posts, a source said. Both are considered very close to OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi.
CWG Organising Committee Secretary General Lalit Bhanot yet again denied any wrongdoing during the conduct of the Games last month after CBI officials raided his house on Tuesday.
The Central Bureau of Investigation carried out searches at 11 premises, including the residences of Bhanot and OC Director General V K Verma in connection with the alleged financial irregularities in Rs 107 crore contract for the Games' result update system.
"They wanted to search the house and did it. They were very nice and professional. They did their job and whatever they wanted to see we showed them everything because I don't hide anything," Bhanot said. "They conducted the raid and we co-operated. We are giving whatever file they are asking for."
Bhanot, who is also Secretary General of the Athletics Federation of India, said all the decisions related to the Commonwealth Games were taken keeping government officials in the loop.
"We were totally transparent. Whatever decision has been taken, it has been taken jointly by the Board and it includes the government members as well the members from various Federation and the Olympic Committee," Bhanot added.
Verma said that there was complete transparency in the work done by the OC.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) last month questioned Verma for his alleged role in the financial irregularities in the Queen's Baton Relay in London in 2009.CBI sources confirmed that the Organising Committee got bidding from two companies, Omega and MS Spain and rates offered by the latter were much lower. But the Organising Committeee chose to go with Omega
Three other aides of Kalmadi - T.S. Darbari, Sanjay Mohindroo and M. Jayachandran - are already in custody for their alleged involvement in the Queen's Baton Relay scam.
The OC is understood to have paid AM Films - a sister concern of AM Car - over 450,000 pounds for services during the Queen's Baton Relay function in London in October 2009 without following proper tendering procedures and paper work.
Kalmadi had on Monday claimed he had not committed any offence and was ready to answer all CBI questions. "I welcome the investigations (into the financial irregularities in the Commonwealth Games). I will give a statement in parliament and I have met Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and she said whenever the house runs I can make the statement," Kalmadi said.
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