Kalmadi aide's bail plea rejected

NEW DELHI: The bail plea of former Director of Commonwealth Games OC V K Verma, arrested for his alleged role in awarding a games contract to a Swiss firm at inflated rates, was dismissed by a Delhi court on Saturday.

Special CBI Judge Talwant Singh dismissed Verma's bail application on the ground that he can influence witnesses if released on bail.

Verma, while seeking bail, had told the court that "whatever loss may have been caused has been caused to the Games Organising Committee and not to the government. The amount, which was given to the OC by the government for organising and running the Games, was a loan which was to be repaid."

He had also questioned how CBI could reach a figure of loss of Rs 95 crore saying "unless somebody says that MSL Spain's tender was for such and such amount, how can CBI reach the figure of Rs 95 crore?"

Verma also claimed that at no point of time he was a part of any alleged conspiracy and had not forged any document as claimed by CBI and its charge sheet.

CBI had opposed his bail plea contending Verma was among the key personnel in OC and instrumental in allotment of the TSR contract to Swiss Timing in "a pre-planned and pre-meditated manner".

"The minutes of the OC Financial Committee were fudged under his (Verma) direct supervision," CBI had said and added there have been no changes in the circumstances since his bail plea was first rejected on April 9 so as to warrant him bail.