Commonwealth Games scam: Enforcement Directorate issues notice to Suresh Kalmadi under Fema

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a notice to the sacked chairman of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi, seeking detailed information about his bank accounts, investments including immovable and movable property, foreign exchange transactions and instances of foreign travel since 2005.

The notice, issued under the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (Fema), asks Kalmadi to provide the relevant details before April-end, following which he may be summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for a round of questioning.

The ED is probing the flow of funds and forex during the Queens Baton Relay held in London prior to the Commonwealth Games, apart from investigating the overlays-related works of the Games under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED case registered the case under Fema after British authorities referred to the Indian High Commission a matter regarding hiring of London-based transport firm AM Cars and Vans at exorbitant prices, and to similar high payments to AM Films for installing video screens at the venue of the Queen's Baton Relay.

ED officials have been tracking the flow of funds with the help of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The notice sent to Suresh Kalmadi has asked him to furnish the details of his bank accounts, forex transactions, investments and foreign travel as OC chairman, under the provisions of Fema. He is required to provide the information before the end of this month and may be summoned for questioning.

Sources close to Kalmadi said he will be furnishing the details to ED. The agency has questioned a number of OC officials and owners of the various consortia that had executed works related to the CWG held here from October 3 to October 14.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is scheduled to question Kalmadi next week. A two-member CBI team had visited London and is said to have obtained "valuable information regarding irregularities in the Baton Relay contract.

The government had sacked Kalmadi and OC secretary-general Lalit Bhanot last year to enable the probe agencies to carry out a free and fair investigation.