Two jailed for CWG stadiums renovation fraud

A special court here has sentenced two persons to 30 months' jail in a case related to irregularities in the renovation of two stadiums ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2010, court sources said on Thursday.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Arvind Kumar, in an order delivered last week, sentenced Raja Aederi Consultants Pvt. Ltd. Chairman Raja Aederi and Director Uday Shankar Bhat to rigorous imprisonment for two-and-half years and also slapped a fine of Rs five lakh on each.

Besides, the court asked the company Raja Aederi Consultants Pvt. Ltd. to pay a fine of Rs 10 lakh.

The court, on May 8, convicted the company, its chairman Aederi and director Bhat in a case related to irregularities in renovation of Shivaji Stadium and Talkatora Stadium under various charges dealing with criminal conspiracy and cheating.

But the court has acquitted then New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) engineers R.S. Thakur and V.K. Gulati in the case.

CBI has alleged that the accused dishonestly induced the department (NDMC) to award the contract to Raja Aederi Consultants Pvt. Ltd. knowing fully well that the company does not possess the requisite qualification for the same.

The investigating agency has said that the loss was caused to government as renovation of Shivaji Stadium and Talkatora Stadium was granted to an inexperienced company ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2010.

According to the CBI, the accused entered into a criminal conspiracy and abused their official position in awarding the consultancy contract of Rs 30 crore.

--IANS

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