Sources say several incriminating documents have been recovered during the searches conducted at twenty different premises in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata
Sources say several incriminating documents have been recovered during the searches conducted at twenty different premises in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata
While Suresh Kalmadi may have been the media's and everyone else's favourite whipping boy with regard to the Commonwealth Games fiasco, the fact that the Capital's civic agencies and theu00a0 government did play their part is no secret. So far, investigative agencies had been focussing on allegations of corruption related to CWG projects administered by the Games Organising Committee.
On Thursday, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths conducted raids at twenty locations across the country. The agency also registered three cases against certain officials of NDMC, CPWD, private persons and three private firms with regard to alleged irregularities committed in the award of contract of projects related to CWG 2010. 
"It is alleged that the accused officials of the NDMC and CPWD entered into criminal conspiracy with private persons and firms. The accused allegedly abused their official position and awarded contracts in the matter of gradation and renovation of Shivaji and Talkatora stadiums at exorbitant rates, by inflating the justification cost to private firms, which has resulted in wrongful gain to the private persons and corresponding loss to the NDMC," CBI said in a press statement.
"The consultancy contract for the revised scope of work of Shivaji Stadium was for the amount of Rs 160 crore, without going for re-tendering," sources from the investigating body stated.u00a0
After registering the cases, CBI sleuths zeroed in on at least 20 locations spread across Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkatau00a0- which included offices and residences of six NDMC and two CPWD officials hereu00a0-- two companies and a consultant involved in the renovation project and recovered cash and 'incriminating' documents.
Shivaji Stadium, which was to be prepared for the Commonwealth Games, was not ready in time despite escalation in costs. An RTI reply has also revealed that cost of gradation of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Complex within the Talkatora Stadium had gone up from the planned Rs 145 crore to Rs 377 crore, an escalation of over 160 per cent. The agency has registered eight cases so far while probing the alleged corruption in the 14-day long sporting extravaganza in October last year.
It is also ironic that a private limited company, Raja Aederi Construction Private Limited, which has come under CBI scanner in connection with the Commonwealth Games, is the same firm which had renovated the investigative agency's headquarters a few years ago.u00a0
Two other companies which have come under the scanner during Thursday's raids are China Railway Shisiju Group Corporation and Simplex Projects.
The probe till now also indicates that renovation projects which were awarded to China Railway Shisiju Group Corporation were allegedly 'sublet' to Simplex Projects at a lower price.
The sleuths searched the offices of Simplex Projects in Kolkata and Delhi and of China Railways in the Capital.
Sources said that more raids are likely to follow in the coming days.
In the money
During the searches at the residence of Executive Engineer, NDMC, JK Katyal in Ramesh Nagar, the CBI recovered Rs 10 Lakh from his home and Rs 12.59 lakh from two bank lockers.
They also found Rs 20 lakh as fixed deposits and documents regarding the purchase of a flat worth Rs 23 lakh in Ghaziabad, sources said.
Apart from this, documents were confiscated from the offices of the firm Raja Aederi by officials of the investigative agency.u00a0
In focus
Some of the targets of CBI raids yesterday:u00a0
>> Uday Bhatt, director of M/s Raja Aederi Consultants Private Limited. Hotel Le Meridien commercial complex, Windsor Place, New Delhi
>> KK Motraja, the then Engineer-in-Chief, NDMC
>> RS Thakur, superintendent engineer, NDMC, MS block, DDA complex, Motia Khan, New Delhi
>> Sharad Bhatia, ADG (architect), Anupam Apartments, MB road, Saket
>> HS Dogra, ADG (CPWD), A 7/1, VII floor, MS flats sector 13, RK Puram
>> Sanjeev Sen Gupta, chief architect, NDMC, 5 B Telegraph lane, New Palika Sadan
>> VP Gupta, senior engineer, NDMCu00a0u00a0
>> VK Gulati, executive engineer, NDMC
>> JK Katyal, assistant engineer, NDMC, 5/7, Ramesh Nagar, New Delhiu00a0
>> Office premises of M/s Simplex Projects Limited, Nehru Place
>>Office of M/s China Railways Shishiju Group, Sarvodaya Enclave, New Delhi
>> An employee of M/S Raja Aederi Consultant Pvt Ltd; office at Mahender Tower, Worli, Mumbai
>> Office complex of M/s Simplex Projects Limited, 12/1, Nellie Sengupta Sarani, Kolkata
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