The CBI has discovered a critical piece of evidence to nail Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) chief Suresh Kalmadi in the Queen's Baton Relay (QBR) irregularities. It is likely to confront him with probing questions in a second round of interrogation early next week in the light of the new evidence.
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Kalmadi in trouble again? |
The evidence is a note written by the OC's former deputy director general, marketing, Sanjay Mohindroo, on a writing pad of a London hotel. It allegedly gives instructions "for awarding video screen installation contract during QBR function to AM Films" on Kalmadi's directions.
"This scribbled piece of paper clearly establishes that the OC official broke set norms to favour AM Films. This could strengthen our case against the OC officials," a senior CBI official told DNA.
Sources said, before the QBR in October 2009, Mohindroo had put up at Hotel Crown Plaza to finalise the contract for three video screens at the venue. The note was put on the writing pad on October 24, 2009. Quoting the note, the CBI official said it mentioned that 14,6868 pounds had to be cleared on the basis of invoices received and said it was approved by the chairman OC. Accordingly, the payment was made to AM Films immediately.
This resulted in the payment of around Rs10.35 million by the Games committee to the firm in violation of all standard procedures.
Besides the recovery of the hand-written letter, the CBI has also claimed to have recovered fake quotations marked to the Delhi office of the OC from three UK-based firms — AM Films, 3Dots Vision Ltd and Movietech. Agency sources claimed that the three quotations had not been put on records by the OC functionaries in India.
"The OC had ample time to go through the process of selection, but it was done to create artificial emergency in an attempt to manipulate the standard procedure," said a senior officer.
The investigation has revealed that TS Darbari, joint DG (revenue), and Dr Sanjay Mohindroo did not put these quotations before finance committee and instead hired AM Films owned by UK-based Ashish Patel. CBI sources said that investigation establishes that AM Films had no experience in organising such a huge function ever in London.
"The AM Films did nothing for installation of the screens and it further outsourced it to Creative Technology, a London-based firm. The work got executed even without issuance of work order," said the CBI official.
He also added that Darbai and Mohindroo violated the Games committee guideline that mandates that any work above Rs50 lakh had to be tendered.
"This scribbled piece of paper clearly establishes that the OC official broke set norms to favour AM Films. This could strengthen our case against the OC officials," a senior CBI official told DNA.
Sources said, before the QBR in October 2009, Mohindroo had put up at Hotel Crown Plaza to finalise the contract for three video screens at the venue. The note was put on the writing pad on October 24, 2009. Quoting the note, the CBI official said it mentioned that 14,6868 pounds had to be cleared on the basis of invoices received and said it was approved by the chairman OC. Accordingly, the payment was made to AM Films immediately.
This resulted in the payment of around Rs10.35 million by the Games committee to the firm in violation of all standard procedures.
Besides the recovery of the hand-written letter, the CBI has also claimed to have recovered fake quotations marked to the Delhi office of the OC from three UK-based firms — AM Films, 3Dots Vision Ltd and Movietech. Agency sources claimed that the three quotations had not been put on records by the OC functionaries in India.
"The OC had ample time to go through the process of selection, but it was done to create artificial emergency in an attempt to manipulate the standard procedure," said a senior officer.
The investigation has revealed that TS Darbari, joint DG (revenue), and Dr Sanjay Mohindroo did not put these quotations before finance committee and instead hired AM Films owned by UK-based Ashish Patel. CBI sources said that investigation establishes that AM Films had no experience in organising such a huge function ever in London.
"The AM Films did nothing for installation of the screens and it further outsourced it to Creative Technology, a London-based firm. The work got executed even without issuance of work order," said the CBI official.
He also added that Darbai and Mohindroo violated the Games committee guideline that mandates that any work above Rs50 lakh had to be tendered.
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