CBI team heads for UK to probe baton relay scam

NEW DELHI: A CBI team will leave for London on Sunday to assist British authorities to execute letters rogatory (LR) it sent for eliciting information on irregularities committed by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee in conducting the Queen’s Baton Relay. The team, which comprises CBI additional director and DIG, is monitoring the probe into the allegations of widespread corruption in organising the event.

The visit comes after British authorities acquiesced to a request for assistance in digging up required information. CBI had in January this year sent two letters rogatory to seek information on AM Cars and AM Films, owned by Ashish Patel, which were granted contracts for making arrangements for the baton relay. The first LR arises from the case registered on November 15 last against AM Cars, TS Darbari, the sacked joint director-general of the CWG Organising Committee , and Sanjay Mohindroo, the sacked deputy director general of OC. The second LR emerges from the case registered by CBI against the Patel-owned AM Films, besides Darbari and Mohindroo .

Patel, Darbari and Mohindroo have been named in both the cases that have been registered by CBI in connection with the relay, a function which was held in London on October 29, 2009, and graced, among others, by President Pratibha Patil. The first case was registered against AM Cars under sections 120-B of the IPC (criminal conspiracy), cheating (420 IPC), forgery (468 and 471 IPC) and section 13 (2) read with section 13 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. In this case, CBI has alleged that the two sacked OC officials had entered into a criminal conspiracy with the Londonbased transport firm and its director awarded work to AM Cars and Vans at exorbitant rates without following the standard tender process, the agency said.

The work was awarded on the false premise that the firm was on the panel of Indian High Commission, London. Two e-mails allegedly forged by the officials of Organising Committee to justify the selection of the firm, CBI said. The second case was registered against AM Films under section 420 of the IPC (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), besides the PCA. Darbari and Mohindroo too were named in the FIR.

The agency alleged that the OC duo entered into a conspiracy with AM Films, which was awarded the work of installation of video screens at the QBR venue at exorbitant rates. The work was awarded to the Londonbased firm allegedly on the basis of fake quotations and without following the standard procedure, the CBI had alleged.