CBI arrests another Kalmadi aide in Games scam

The CBI, probing scams related to the Commonwealth Games, arrested former Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi’s long-time associate and personal secretary, Shekhar Deorukhkar, here on Friday. Yogesh Joshi reports.

The CBI, probing scams related to the Commonwealth Games, arrested former Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi’s long-time associate and personal secretary, Shekhar Deorukhkar, here on Friday.

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Deorukhkar, 45, was director (protocol) and officer on special duty in the OC when the Games were held last October. The CBI told the local court while seeking his remand for three days that Deorukhkar had been booked for awarding contracts for overlays work at different Games venues to various companies at inflated rates, thereby cheating and causing losses to the government.

Overlay work relates to the supply of equipment for the Games — sporting equipment, furniture, marquees, gensets, ACs among them.

Naming specific firms, the CBI application, filed by deputy superintendent Raj Singh, said: “VK Verma, director general OC, along with other officials entered into criminal conspiracy with Binu Nanu, managing director, Meroform India Pvt Ltd, and GL Events to cause benefits to private companies with whom the OC signed contracts.” (Verma is already in custody.)

Deorukhkar, a former Indian Railways employee, got close to Kalmadi when the latter was minister of state for railways in 1995-96. Later, he became Kalmadi’s personal secretary.

With Deorukhkar, six people have been arrested in Games-related cases. Kalamadi was not available for comment.