CBI arrests Kalmadi aides Bhanot, Verma

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today arrested Secretary General of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Lalit Bhanot and Director General Finance V K Verma for their alleged involvement in the Rs 107-crore procurement of Timing, Scoring and Result (TSR) system during the 2010 Games.

The two officials were called for questioning this morning by Deputy Superintendent of Police Girish Bharadwaj. CBI will present Bhanot and Verma in court tomorrow to get their remand.

The two officials are accused of having entered into a criminal conspiracy with a Switzerland-based company to cheat the government in awarding the contract to it at exorbitant rates. CBI had registered an FIR in this case on November 30.

Bhanot and Verma had earlier been booked under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of IPC and various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, along with Swiss Timing Ltd and other unknown persons.

An earlier statement by the investigating agency said the expression of interest (EOI) was published announcing that only the Swiss firm met the required criteria.

“Subsequently, the request for proposal (RFP) was issued on October 1, 2009. This was surreptitiously amended on October 4, 2009, thereby making the bids even more restrictive. In response to RFP, two bids were received. However, a Spain-based firm was allegedly wrongfully eliminated at the pre-qualification bid stage,” the statement said.

CBI had earlier conducted searches at 11 places in Delhi, including the official and residential premises of Bhanot and Verma.