GoM finalising findings on Commonwealth Games scam

More than a year after its constitution, a Group of Ministers that examined reports of the prime minister-appointed High Level Committee on alleged Commonwealth Games related irregularities, is in the process of finalising its findings.

The GoM, under the leadership of Defence Minister A K Antony, was constituted on August 2 last year and asked to submit its report within three months. However, its tenure and constitution was extended on several counts, as per official documents.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had in December last year extended the GoM's term till March 2012 through an official memorandum to enable them to complete the mandated task. The memo was further modified on July 17 this year, in which the government decided "the GoM will remain functional till completion of the assigned mandate".

"There are voluminous records pertaining to the Games related works on the basis of HLC's findings. The GoM is in process of finalising its findings which will be submitted to the government soon," a source privy to the functioning of the GoM said.

The Group had so far held four meetings on August 16, 2011, September 6, 2011, September 27, 2011 and January 16, 2012 to discuss HLC reports.

Taking note of alleged irregularities, the prime minister had in October 2010 announced establishment of the high-level committee under the chairmanship of former Comptroller and Auditor General V K Shunglu, to look into the allegations of corruption.

The HLC had submitted six reports, pointing out acts of alleged omission and commission by officials and lack of oversight by the government.

The Shunglu panel has submitted six reports -- on host broadcasting, Commonwealth Games Village, City Infrastructure, Games Venues, Organising Committee and Organisation and Conduct of Commonwealth Games 2010 -- to the PMO.

Besides Antony, the high-powered panel has Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, Urban Development Minister Anand Sharma and Sports Minister Ajay Maken as members. Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanasamy is a special invitee in the Group.

The GoM was to examine Shunglu Committee reports on the alleged financial and managerial lapses by different government departments in implementing several projects in the run-up to the mega sporting event.

Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission, income tax department and Enforcement Directorate are investigating various cases of alleged irregularities in the projects related to the mega sporting extravaganza.