CWG scam: Bhanot, Verma sent to five-days CBI custody

NEW DELHI - A Delhi court on Thursday sent former Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee (OC) Chairman Suresh Kalmadi’s key aides Lalit Bhanot and V.K. Verma to five days Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody

in connection with financial irregularities in a contract with a Swiss company.

The two former CWG officials were produced in the Patiala House Court today for their alleged role in the CWG scam.

The CBI arrested Bhanot and Verma on Wednesday in connection with alleged irregularities related to the event.

The arrest of the two took place after both were questioned about the Rs 107 crore contract that was awarded to a Swiss time-keeping company.

Bhanot, the former Organizing Committee Secretary General was booked under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with the Switzerland-based firm Swiss Timing Ltd and other unknown persons.

The CBI is also probing alleged irregularities in the hiring of Swiss firm Event Knowledge Services (EKS) as CWG’s technical consultant.

The document is expected to help the CBI establish the alleged role of Kalmadi and Bhanot in connection with scams surrounding the 2010 sporting extravaganza.

The original tender document, which comprised several files, was missing for over three months, since the CBI began its investigation. It has now been recovered. (ANI)