CWG scam: Delhi HC grants bail to Darbari

T S Darbari, one of the three top officials in the Commonwealth Games scam, was granted bail by the Delhi High Court due to the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI's) failure to file charges within the stipulated time of 60 days from the day of his arrest.

Darbari was arrested in the Queen's Baton Relay scam along with M Jayachandran on November 15 last year.

The CBI told Delhi High Court, "There are several loose ends in the investigation. We are seeking legal opinion to arrest the duo in the second case."

The CBI had earlier told the court that Darbari's custody was needed to complete the investigations and file a charge sheet.

Darbari was sacked from the post of joint director general of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee in the wake of the corruption scandal. A key aide of Suresh Kalmadi, TS Darbari had pleaded that he was in no way involved in the case registered against him.

"I am being made a scapegoat. There is no document anywhere which shows my involvement in the controversy. I wasn't even a part of the committee that gave its go ahead for the deal. All this is a conspiracy," Darbari had said.

He had later claimed that Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi and another Organising Committee official Sanjay Mohindroo were to be blamed for the AM Films fraud. Darbari claimed that he had no role in the fraud and offered to give all details in a letter to CBI Director dated November 3.

According to sources in the Indian Olympic Association, the release of Darbari has come as a setback to the CBI but it will act as a morale booster for Suresh Kalmadi.