CBI books IAS officer in CWG contract scam
The CBI has booked a serving IAS officer in connection with alleged irregularities in awarding consultancy work related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games to a Switzerland-based firm.
Vijay Kumar Gautam, a 1987-batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, was the chief operating officer with the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games has been booked along with former OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi, CEO of Swiss firm Event Knowledge Services Craig Gordon, former Secretary General Lalit Bhanot and tresurer A K Mattoo and other unnamed persons, CBI sources said here on Monday.
When contacted, CBI spokesperson said the persons have been booked under section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC with relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act for alleged irregularities in awarding consultancy contracts relating to the Games' workforce and planning, project and risk management services.
“It was also alleged that undue pecuniary gain was caused by the officials of the Organising Committee to the consortium of the Switzerland-based firm by way of awarding the two contracts in a wrongful manner,” CBI spokesperson Dharini Mishra said on Monday.
Last year, the Prime Minister's Office, after receiving the report of the high-powered V K Shunglu Committee which went into the Games-related projects, had also recommended to the union sports ministry to conduct a probe into the contract given to EKS.
The committee, in its report submitted to the PMO on March 28, 2011 found several discrepancies in the projects executed by the company and alleged “collusion” among some officials.
