Rs 1,200-cr deals under CBI scanner

A probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the Commonwealth Games irregularities has brought under scanner contracts worth around Rs 1,200 crore, which were allegedly awarded to ineligible vendors.

A probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the Commonwealth Games irregularities has brought under scanner contracts worth around Rs 1,200 crore, which were allegedly awarded to ineligible vendors.

The organising committee (OC) had awarded contracts across 14 functional areas to ineligible vendors against norms, said a CBI source.

Such vendors comprise a few private contractors, who had bagged deals worth Rs 630 crore for the provision of material/ resources for “venue development and overlays”, says the source.

HT Image

In January this year, the probing agency had lodged an FIR over irregularities related to the award of overlays contracts, which were pegged at exorbitant rates.

The FIR stated that a few OC officials had allegedly conspired with managing directors of some private companies, which bagged the contracts.

The CBI has arrested a few persons, including private suppliers and an OC official, in the case. The overlays contracts were related to the supply of tents, marquees, pre-fabricated units, portable toilets, containers, security fences, furniture, public display boards, air-conditioners, etc.

The source said among the ineligible vendors was a foreign private firm, which had bagged the OC’s consultancy contract so that it could get sponsorships. The contract was worth around Rs 450 crore.

The list of ineligible vendors include a private firm that bagged a Rs 66.5-crore master caterer contract and another firm that bagged a Rs 9-crore deal for supplying and installing kitchen equipment.