The CBI on Wednesday told a court hearing a complaint on 18 specific instances of alleged corruption in Commonwealth Games-related projects that some FIRs had been registered, inquiries were pending, and there was the likelihood of some more FIRs being registered.
The 18 instances, several of which involve government bodies besides the Organising Committee, were part of a complaint filed by Magsaysay Award winners Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal.
At the last hearing on February 18, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Amit Bansal directed the CBI, the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi Police, and the Parliament Street police station to file detailed reports on the status of police action into the complaint.
The petitioners' counsel Somnath Bharti told the court that despite filing the complaint last year and submitting “substantive evidence,” no action had been taken and no FIRs were being registered by the three investigative arms.
The Anti-Corruption Branch and Parliament Street police said they had kept their investigation in abeyance as the CBI was looking into the complaint. The CBI counsel told the court that it had no jurisdiction to entertain the complaint as the instances of corruption cited related to sections under the Prevention of Corruption Act, which can only be heard by a Special Judge.
Mr. Bansal, in his order, while agreeing with the CBI counsel on that point, said it was “settled law that his court can direct the Anti-Corruption Branch and the Parliament Street police station” to inquire into the complaint.
However, taking note of the CBI counsel's submission that the investigation was progressing, Mr. Bansal directed the agency to file a further report on the next date of hearing, and told the SHO of Parliament Street police station and Anti-Corruption Branch to be present in court on the day.
