CWG files missing, CBI to probe

Some crucial documents that could throw light on Commonwealth Games deals have gone missing. Probing agencies fear these could have been destroyed or hidden.

Official sources said the key files, which contained important information on tendering, budgetary allocation and contract details, are missing from the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) office.

They said CBI officials had found sufficient evidence of criminal conspiracy by unknown OC officials in tampering with some documents and manipulating information in them.

Sources said CBI officials had made a list of documents that are untraceable.

The revelation came during a series of searches carried out by a team of 20-30 sleuths at the OC office, besides its Secretary General Lalit Bhanot’s residence last month, they said. The sources added CBI sleuths were not getting cooperation of certain OC officials as their bosses — OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi and Bhanot — were still at the helm of affairs.

Hence, CBI had conveyed to the government that continuance of Kalmadi and Bhanot in their posts was proving to be a stumbling block in its ongoing probe. However, Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar is understood to have told CBI, since OC is no more part of his secretariat, he cannot remove Kalmadi and Bhanot. CBI will now approach the sports ministry for their removal for smooth progress of the probe.

The Central Vigilance Commission is also probing alleged financial irregularities in the conduct of the mega sporting event by the Organising Committee, among others, in October. The Comptroller and Auditor General, too, is looking into the accounts of OC and various other projects associated with the probe.

CBI filed three FIRs in connection with the alleged irregularities in CWG and searched the residences of OC Director General V K Verma and Bhanot on November 30.