CBI to file report on three Swiss Timing officials' arrest

A court here Wednesday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a status report on the provisional arrest of three officials of Switzerland-based Swiss Timing Limited against whom summons were issued for their alleged roles in a 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG) related corruption case.

The CBI Special Judge Madhu Jain asked investigating agency to file the report by Dec 5.

The CBI has sought a month's time from the court, saying that it is pursuing the matter with other agencies.

The court earlier issued summons to Swiss Timing's general manager Christophe Berthaud, sales and marketing manager S. Chianese, and multi sports events and sales manager J. Spiri for their alleged involvement in the graft case in which former Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi and others are facing trial.

Kalmadi and others are facing trial in a case related to allegedly "illegally" awarding to Swiss Timing Limited a contract at inflated rates to install Timing, Scoring and Results (TSR) system for the 2010 Games, causing a loss of over Rs.95 crore to the exchequer.

The CBI Wednesday filed a status report regarding extradition of the accused Chianese, Berthaud and Spiri of Swiss Timing Ltd., mentioning that in compliance with earlier orders of the court, a request for provisional arrest has been sent through the external affairs ministry.

The CBI said that it is awaiting a reply from the home ministry about further progress in this context.

The court earlier framed charges of cheating and conspiracy against Swiss Timing, and said the record of the case "prima facie" suggested that there was "incriminating evidence about the involvement" of its three officials in the case.