The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday registered three fresh cases and carried out searches at over 20 places in three cities at the premises of officials of the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and Central Public Works Department (CPWD), consultants and companies in connection with alleged irregularities in the over Rs 160 crore renovation work of two Commonwealth Games venues.
After registering the cases, the CBI sleuths zeroed in on at least 20 locations spread across Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, which included offices and residences of six NDMC and two CPWD officials in Delhi, two companies and a consultant involved in the renovation project and recovered cash and incriminating documents, official sources said.
The CBI spokesperson said the accused officials of the NDMC and CPWD allegedly entered into criminal conspiracy with private persons and firms and awarded contracts of renovation and upgradation of stadiums at exorbitant rates.
Shivaji Stadium, which was to be prepared for the Commonwealth Games, could not be completed in time despite escalation in the costs.
An RTI reply has also revealed that cost of upgradation of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Swimming Complex within the Talkatora Stadium had gone up from 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.
"The accused allegedly abused their official position and awarded contracts in the matter of upgradation and renovation of Shivaji and Talkatora stadium at exorbitant rates, by inflating the cost to private firms which has resulted in wrongful gain to the private persons and
firms and corresponding loss to the NDMC," the official said.
The consultants engaged for the renovation project, Raja Adari also came under the scanner of the agency as searches were conducted the office of its Director Uday Bhatt at a Five Star hotel in Delhi and another office in Worli, Mumbai, official sources said.
It is alleged that the Raja Adari Consultants won the contract for renovation and upgradation of Shivaji and Talkatora Stadium, even though the firm did not fulfill the required tender condition.
The probe showed 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 national capital, sources said.
During the searches at the residence of Executive Engineer, NDMC, J K Katyal in Ramesh Nagar here, the CBI recovered Rs 10 Lakh from his home and 12.59 lakh from two bank lockers, 20 lakhs of fixed deposit receipts and documents regarding the purchase of flat worth Rs 23 lakh in Ghaziabad, sources said.
The teams searched the offices and residences of other retired and serving NDMC officials which included the then Engineer-in-chief K K Motraja, Superintendent Engineer NDMC R S Thakur, Chief Architect Sanjiv Sen Gupta, Superintendent Engineer V P Gupta, Executive Engineer V K Gulati, they said.
Searches were also carried out at the residences of Additional Director General (Architecture)(Retd.) Sarat Bhatia and Additional Director General H S Dogra of Central Public Works Department, official sources said.
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