New Delhi:
One by one, the men who were part of Team Kalmadi are being formally charged with corruption worth crores. Two aides who worked closely with Suresh Kalmadi have been arrested. Two others have been accused by the CBI on Tuesday of abusing their position "to enter into a criminal conspiracy to cheat the government of India."
Kalmadi was the Chairman of the now-infamous Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC). Secretary General Lalit Bhanot and Director General V K Verma now stand accused of paying unjustifiable prices for scoreboards and computerised systems that displayed the results of matches. A Swiss firm was given a contract worth Rs 107 crore for this.
Bhanot's and Verma's homes were among several places raided by the CBI this morning.
"We were totally transparent. Whatever decision has been taken, it has been taken jointly by the Board and it includes the government members as well the members from various Federation and the Olympic Committee," said Bhanot.
The message is clear - Kalmadi cannot feign ignorance of the financial violations that his men seem to have made a habit.
Verma has been questioned already in connection with another deal which led to the arrests earlier this month of T S Darbari and Sanjay Mahendroo. The two men have been found of violating the rules by awarding a massive contract to AM Films and Cars in London for the Queen's Baton Relay last year. No contract was signed with AM before it was paid; no competing bids were considered, even though the prices AM charged were ludicrously high.