CWG scam: Darbari, Mahendroo sent to six-days CBI custody

NEW DELHI - A Delhi court on Tuesday sent sacked Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) Director General T S Darbari and Deputy Director General Sanjay Mahendroo to six-days Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody after the investigating agency said it has recovered ‘voluminous incriminating’ documents from their houses and CWG office revealing graft.

“Accused are required to be confronted with voluminous incriminating documents recovered from the residential premises of the accused and from the office of the Organising Committee of CWG, 2010,” the CBI told the court while seeking to interrogate them in custody.

The investigating agency further said the custodial interrogation of the accused duo was required to unearth the alleged money trail to the tune of 1.4 lakh pounds relating to Queen’s Baton Relay held in London last year.

Agreeing to the appeal, Special CBI Judge A S Yadav sent both Darbari and Mahendroo to CBI’s custody till November 22.

“Both the accused were arrested only yesterday. Their further custodial interrogation is required to unearth the conspiracy and the names of other possible co-accused,” the court said.

Earlier on Monday, the CBI arrested Darbari and Mahendroo over the financial irregularities case pertaining to the 2010 Games.

The names of Darbari and Mahendroo figured in the investigations into alleged irregularities into services provided during the Queen’s Baton Relay in London.

Darbari was earlier suspended along with Mahendroo after irregularities were revealed in payouts to a UK-based firm, which provided services such as car rentals during the Queen”s Baton Relay launch in London.

Earlier today, the investigating agency filed two separate cases involving UK-based A M Films and former officials of CWG Organising Committee on charges of forgery and cheating in organising Queen’s Baton Relay in London.

The CBI later carried out searches at some places in the national capital region including office of CWG Organising Committee.

The first case names London-based A M Car/Van Services and its owner Ashish Patel besides Darbari, Mahendroo and Singh under sections 468 (forgery of court records and public documents), 471 (Using forged documents as genuine), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.

The second case involves London-based A M Films, Patel, Mahendroo, Darbari and others under sections 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.

It has been reported that the CBI also questioned sacked officials with regard to the Queen Baton Relay for which a grand function was held in London.

The CBI had begun looking into complaints related to alleged irregularities in Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) event and is probing the documents pertaining to it, including those related to transfer of funds. (ANI)