The Central Vigilance Commission, involved in probing alleged corruption in various Commonwealth Games-related projects, has found discrepancies in tenders and alleged misappropriation amounting to about Rs. 8,000 crore.
Official sources said the complaints received by the anti-corruption watchdog have already been forwarded to the Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) of the Ministries or Departments concerned.
They said the discrepancies like payment to non-existent parties, wilful delay in execution of contracts, over-inflated price and bungling in purchase of equipment through tendering have been noticed.
“The total misappropriation amount may touch a figure of Rs. 5,000-8,000 crore, which is quiet huge and alarming. The Commission is still awaiting reports from various departments and cannot give the exact amount involved in the bungling,” a senior CVC official said requesting anonymity.
In reply to an RTI application filed by the PTI, the CVC has given details of projects executed by different government agencies where discrepancies have been detected.
Complaints regarding alleged embezzlement of Rs. 1.5 crore in purchase of HOVA Courts for Badminton stadium, malpractices in the tender for kitchen equipment installation, misappropriation in video board tenders for remodelling and upgradation of Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium were received by the CVC and in all cases factual report is awaited from the Sports Ministry, it said.
Besides, the matter pertaining to appointments in the Games Organising Committee and workforce consultants without adequate qualification and experience has been received and a report is awaited from the Sports ministry, the RTI reply said.
The CVC is probing at least 22 Games-related construction and procurement works carried out by different government agencies here for alleged financial irregularities.
Out of the total projects, six were carried out by the Sports Ministry, four by the Delhi Development Authority, three by the OC and two each by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Central Public Works Department of the Delhi Government.
One work each relating to the Department of Commerce, the Indian Meteorological Department and the New Delhi Municipal Council are also being probed, the RTI reply said.
The matter regarding alleged manipulation of tenders by the IMD and its senior officers is under investigation by the CVC, it said.
A complaint regarding alleged irregularities in awarding contracts for sound system, LED display boards and other communication systems for various Commonwealth Games stadia was also received and inspected by the CVC.
Though no amount was mentioned, the reply said the CVC has noticed that the national exchequer has incurred losses running into several crores of rupees. A report has been called for from Central Public Works Department on September 8 and is still awaited, the Commission said while responding to the RTI query.
An analysis by Chief Technical Examination Wing of the CVC had earlier found alleged financial and administrative irregularities in 16 construction and procurement projects.
Six of them were done by the PWD, three by the MCD, two each by the CPWD, the DDA, the NDMC and one by RITES, a Government of India Enterprise, a CVC report said.
Official sources said a reminder has recently been issued to the CPWD, the MCD, the DDA and the PWD asking them to submit their reports by this month-end.
The move came after Central Vigilance Commissioner P.J. Thomas objected to the “lackadaisical approach” and continuous delay by agencies in submitting replies to the queries raised by the anti-corruption watchdog, the sources said.
A senior CVC official said that based on their replies, the Commission will give its findings or final report to a committee formed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) V.K. Shunglu.
