NEW DELHI, Sept 9:
The CBI has been allowed by a Delhi court to probe further into the alleged financial bunglings during the 2009 Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) in London before the Commonwealth Games for “unearthing larger conspiracy.”
Special Judge Talwant Singh allowed the CBI’s plea seeking court’s permission to probe further into the case in which six accused, including two UK-based firms, have been chargesheeted by the agency on August 17.
During the hearing on CBI’s plea, prosecutor V K Sharma said charge sheet is complete against the accused named in it and “this application has been moved only with a view to unearth the larger conspiracy, if any.”
The court allowed the plea observing that similar prayer was mentioned in the charge sheet filed against former CWG Organising Committee (OC) Joint Director General T S Darbari, Deputy Director General Sanjay Mahendroo, its Treasurer M Jaychandran and London-based businessman Ashish Patel and his firms—A M Car and Van Hire Ltd and A M Films.
“The application is allowed as the same prayer was also made in the charge sheet itself. The CBI is granted permission under section 178 of the CrPC to further investigate the case to unearth the larger conspiracy, if any, in this matter,” the judge said.
In the charge sheet, the six accused have been indicted for various offences under the IPC, including those of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery besides those under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court had earlier issued summonses to the six accused for November 27 after taking cognisance of the CBI’s charge sheet against them.
The CBI had lodged two separate cases against the ex-OC officials but had filed a combined charge sheet in the court.
Darbari, Mahendroo and Jaychandran were earlier arrested in 2010 but were released on bail as the CBI had not been able to file the charge sheet within the statutory time limit of 60 days after the arrest of the accused in corruption cases.
The agency, in its charge sheet, has said the OC members had conspired to award contracts for providing local transport and other services to Patel’s firms at exorbitant rates during the 2009 QBR event held in London.
The former OC officials have been booked for the alleged irregularities in payments made to the UK firm A M Car and Van Hire Ltd for transportation services during the QBR.
While AM Films was awarded the work of installing three video screens near the Buckingham Palace during the event, A M Cars was given the contract for providing logistics. (PTI)
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