Former CWG Organising Committee Secretary General Lalit Bhanot, accused in a games-related graft case, on Friday told a Delhi court that he cannot be charged with the offence of conspiracy as nothing was kept “secret” regarding the award of TSR system contract to the Swiss firm.
Arguing for Mr. Bhanot, senior advocate Ramesh Gupta told Special Judge Talwant Singh that everything was “transparent” in the process of awarding the contract to Swiss Timing as it was announced in the general assembly meeting of the OC on October 12, 2009.
“Nothing can be more transparent on part of Organising Committee (OC) as it had openly announced in its general assembly meeting that the Timing, Scoring and Results (TSR) system contract is being given to Swiss Timing.
“A large number of foreigners were also present in that meeting. Nothing was kept secret so where is the conspiracy,” he said, while opposing the framing of charges against Mr. Bhanot.
The counsel also argued that while framing charges against Mr. Bhanot, the court must examine “conspiracy, dishonesty and maliciousness.”
“Conspiracy is done between two-three persons and it is kept secret but when the award of contract was announced in front of a large number, it is not conspiracy or dishonesty,” he said.
The counsel further said it was the openness of OC that they came in public with whatever they had with them regarding the award of TSR contract.
Earlier, the CBI prosecutor had argued that two bids were received for TSR contract from Swiss Timing and MSL Spain and the same were opened on November 4, 2009 but sacked CWG OC chief Suresh Kalmadi and Director General V.K. Verma, accused in the case, had on October 12, 2009 itself announced in a meeting that the contract would be awarded to Swiss Timing.
