CWG scam: CBI files charge sheet against Kalmadi and others

CWG scam: CBI files charge sheet against Kalmadi and others

The CBI has filed its first charge sheet in a Delhi court against sacked CWG Organising Comm chairman Suresh Kalmadi, describing him as a "main accused" in a corruption case relating to irregularities in awarding a games-related contract to a Swiss firm.

The probe agency, in its over 50-page charge sheet on Friday, has accused Kalmadi as the key person with all the powers to take decisions regarding award of contracts.

"Kalmadi is the main accused as he was the person with all supreme powers. He had the supreme over riding powers in the Organising Committee of the CWG, 2010," the charge sheet said.

Special CBI Judge Talwant Singh took the charge sheet into record and fixed it for taking up the issue of congisance on it on 23^rd May.

Besides Kalmadi, the agency has named two companies and eight persons including OC former Secretary General Lalit Bhanot and former

Director General V K Verma as accused and sought their prosecution under various provisions of the IPC, dealing with criminal conspiracy, forging documents and using fake documents as genuine.

According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly awarded the lucrative contract to the Swiss firm to install a Timing-Scoring-Result (TSR) system for the Commonwealth Games at an exorbitant cost, causing a loss of over Rs 90 crore to the exchequer.

In its charge sheet, the CBI has also named Games Organising Committee Joint Director General (Sport) A S V Prasad, Deputy Director General (Procurement) Surjit Lal, Treasurer M Jayachandran.

Others who have been chargesheeted include A K Reddy, Managing Director of Hyderabad-based AKR Constructions, and the promoters of Faridabad-based Gem International, A K Madan and P D Arya.

The Faridabad firm was outsourced a substantial portion of the contract that Swiss Timing-Omega won for the Commonwealth Games.

The charge sheet, which has indicted various accused for committing offences under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, has also named the two companies, AKR Constructions and Swiss Timing-Omega.

Reddy, Madan and Arya are on the run with the CBI, armed with non-bailable warrants, hunting for them.

The charge sheet has named over 50 witnesses to prove the allegations against Kalmadi and others.

While Kalmadi, Prasad and Lal were arrested on 26^th April, Bhanot and Verma were arrested on 23^rd February.

They are presently lodged in Tihar Jail. Kalmadi had earlier sought bail from the court, which has reserved its order on his plea for Saturday.

Another case against Kalmadi, ED slaps money laundering charge

Troubles mounted for the sacked CWG Organising Comm chief Suresh Kalmadi with the Enforcement Directorate registering a money laundering case against him in connection with financial dealings during the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The Directorate, which had earlier charged Kalmadi for alleged violation of foreign exchange rules, has now moved a court to seek the custody of Congress MP from Pune and record his statement.

Kalmadi, arrested by CBI last month on charges of cheating, conspiracy and corruption in the Timing, Scoring Result system (TSR) relating to Commonwealth Games, is currently in judicial custody.

Sources said on Wednesday, the ED has registered the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Kalmadi as he had a role in every financial dealings of the OC, by virtue of being its Chairman.

The findings of the CBI and the ED in the entire Games probe were also taken into account while pressing the money laundering charges, the sources said.

The ED, after obtaining the court's permission, will also question Kalmadi in connection with the money laundering and foreign exchange cases that it has registered in the overlays and the Queens Baton Relay (QBR) scams.

The agency has also asked Kalmadi to furnish details of his bank accounts, movable and immovable properties, instances of foreign travel before the Commonwealth Games held last year, and transactions of foreign exchange in the last few years.

Sources said Kalmadi has asked for a few weeks' time to furnish these details to the ED.