ED files FEMA violation case

The noose is tightening around those involved in the alleged Commonwealth Games scam. On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a case for violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) as part of its probe into the alleged corruption in the run-up to the mega sporting event.


On Guard: Delhi policemen watch as I-T officials raid the
residence of senior BJP leader Sudhanshu Mittal on Tuesday.
PIC/Imtiyaz khan

Official sources said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) too has received 20 complaints regarding the Games which also include overlays works. A CBI team had even visited the OC office on Monday.
"CBI is working in close coordination with the ED in connection with the case registered by the Directorate under FEMA," sources said.

Complaints received by CBI also include to those pertaining to CPWD works, which are being looked into. "CBI is awaiting reports from CVC, CAG and the I-T department. CAG has its own Central Technical Examiners and will do a financial audit. If something crops up, CBI will move in," said inside sources.

Besides the special Committee instituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to probe the alleged corruption, the Comptroller and Auditor General, Central Vigilance Commission, Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate and the CBI are also probing OC officials.
The I-T department on Tuesday conducted searches in the premises of businessman and BJP activist Sudhanshu Mittal and some consortiums in and around Delhi to detect alleged financial irregularities in works related to the Games.

More than 200 sleuths of the I-T department swooped down on the premises of Mittal and his relatives as the agency has found a number of contracts to the tune of more than Rs 200 crore being bagged by them, sources said.

Mittal is considered to be a close associate of former BJP President Rajnath Singh and late party leader Pramod Mahajan. The department also carried out searches at the premises of three to four big contractors at more than 20 locations in the National Capital Region including some foreign companies who have their consortiums in India.

Sources in the department said the I-T probe will specifically look into the contracts awarded by the Games Organising Committee and the role of its officials and contractors including charges of bribing.
Meanwhile, the CVC has found discrepancies in tenders and alleged misappropriation amounting to about Rs 8,000 crore.

Gadkari's questionnaire for PM
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari Tuesday sought a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Commonwealth Games corruption allegations to fix political accountability. Following are some of the questions posed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by Gadkari:
< Is the whole cabinet not responsible for Commonwealth chaos and corruption?

< Congress is ruling at the centre and in Delhi and controlling the CWG. Then who is monitoring the committees?

< Are the ministries of urban development, sports, home, finance, tourism, civil aviation and information and broadcasting not involved and responsible?

< Did the Delhi government not spend more than Rs.20,000 crore in the name of CWG?

< Were thousands of crores earmarked for Scheduled Castes and the downtrodden not diverted to CWG?

< Can you deny that thanks to the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) and Chief Technical Examiner's Organisation (CTEO) of Central Vigilance Commission that your government was compelled to inquire into the scam?

< Were you, your senior colleagues and Group of Ministers not directly monitoring and supervising the CWG work?

< Ministers, Congress leaders, Delhi Chief Minister are talking about corrupt officials. What about corrupt ministers?

< Are you not directly responsible for this mess?