The probe into the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 scam gathered momentum on Wednesday as the Central Bureau of Investigation placed under arrest two former top CWG officials — former Organising Committee Secretary-General Lalit Bhanot and Director-General V. K. Verma.
With the arrest of Mr. Bhanot and Mr. Verma, who worked closely with Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman of the Organising Committee for the Games held this past October, the CBI has turned up the heat on Mr. Kalmadi. Both Mr. Bhanot and Mr. Verma have been charged with cheating and criminal conspiracy as the CBI goes ahead with the probe into the alleged irregularities in the Rs. 107-crore deal inked with a Swiss timing firm.
The agency earlier searched the premises of Mr. Kalmadi in Delhi, Pune and Mumbai.
Official sources said both Mr. Bhanot and Mr. Verma, who were earlier called for questioning at the CBI headquarters here, have been put under arrest.
They were booked under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
A CBI spokesperson said the two former CWG officials allegedly abused their official position and entered into criminal conspiracy with the foreign firm and other unknown persons “to cheat the government in awarding contract to the said company for acquiring Timing, Scoring and Result (TSR) System at exorbitant rates of Rs. 107 crore.
