CWG scam: Former officials remanded to three-days CBI custody

NEW DELHI - A Delhi court on Monday remanded former Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee (OC) officials T S Darbari, Sanjay Mahendroo and M Jayachandran to three days Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) event in London last year.

Darbari and Mahendroo, who are close aides of Suresh Kalmadi, were arrested last Monday in a case pertaining to payments made to AM films and AM car hire, both owned by Ashish Patel, a UK based businessman.

The CBI took former Joint Director General (Finance) Jayachandran into its custody on Sunday.

The investigating agency produced the three before Special CBI Judge A S Yadav.

The CBI, while pleading for further remand of seven days for Darbari and Mahendroo, submitted that they are not cooperating with the investigation and they are not forthcoming in their replies to the queries posed by it.

Earlier, Darbari and Mahendroo were sent to CBI’s custody till November 22.

Darbari, former OC Joint Director General, and Mahendroo, former OC Deputy Director General, are already facing charges of violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and have been questioned by Enforcement Directorate.

Earlier, 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, 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)