Probe agencies find CWG contact manipulated

Probe agencies investigating CWG contracts have found evidence indicating that several CWG contracts were manipulated. Addresses of several bidders were either the same or fake. In some cases, the building itself was under construction and in others either a school or a church was running from the premises.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate has recorded the statement of CWG Organising Committee director general VK Verma, who is currently in judicial custody. VK Verma and former OC Secretary General Lalit Bhanot were arrested in February by the Central Bureau of Investigation on charges of conspiracy and fraud in the award of the TSR contract to Swiss Timing Ltd. Last month the CBI had arrested former CWG OC chief Suresh Kalmadi in the same case.

“We have recorded VK Verma’s statement after getting the required permission from court,” a senior ED official told ‘DNA’. There are indications that the ED may soon record the statements of Kalmadi and Bhanot.

The probe so far has revealed that the contract was awarded to Swiss Timing Ltd at an exorbitant Rs 141 crore after wrongfully eliminating a Spanish firm that offered same equipment for Rs 48 crore.