CBI arrests CWG top shots after grilling

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested former Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) Secretary General Lalit Bhanot and its ex director-general V.K. Verma over financial irregularities during the Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi last year.

“We have arrested them on the basis of evidence. We will not arrest anyone without evidence,” said a CBI spokesperson briefing media about the arrests.

She said they were arrested in connection with the awarding of a contract for timing, scoring and result procedure worth Rs 107 crore to a Swiss timing firm at exorbitant rates.

To a question on whether former CWG OC chief Suresh Kalmadi will bee arrested too, she said: “Let us wait and see.”

According to CBI sources, Bhanot is arrested under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code and other sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.

Bhanot and Verma were first grilled by the CBI and then arrested.

Earlier this month, Sekhar Deorukhkar, another close aide of Suresh Kalmadi, was arrested from Pune in the connection with the overlays scam.

In January, a businessman, Binu Nanu, was arrested by the CBI also for his involvement in the CWG overlay scam.

The CBI earlier raided the homes and offices of the OC officials while Kalmadi himself faces a probe by the federal investigating agency.

Suresh Kalmadi, a Congress MP from Pune, is accused of indulging in various financial scams involving the organization of the Games in Oct 2010.

India faced humiliation before the entire world in the run up to the Games owing to shabby preparations. The Games which, however, concluded without any major hitch and Indian athletes brought several accolades to the nation.

The Union sports ministry on Jan 24 removed Suresh Kalmadi and Lalit Bhanot as the chairman and secretary general of the organizing committee of the Commonwealth Games.