Kalmadi's aide Deorukhar arrested in CWG overlays scam

NEW DELHI: The probe into the alleged irregularities committed in organising the Commonwealth Games here last year has taken the CBI to the doorsteps of Pune Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi. In a major breakthrough, the investigative agency on Friday arrested Shekhar Deorukhar, OSD to the former CWG Organising Committee chairman, for allegedly taking bribe from a middleman for facilitating the award of overlays contract to one of the suppliers.


"He (Deorukhar) was arrested this afternoon from Pune and would be taken to a special CBI court there. We will bring him to Delhi by tomorrow (Saturday) morning on transit remand," CBI DIG Binita Thakur, who also doubles up as its spokesperson, told newspersons here on Friday afternoon.


Deorukhar's arrest is important as the investigative agency, through a close look at call details, has managed to track the flow of kickback money directly to him. Even though the amount (around Rs 10 lakh) may not be much, his arrest is likely to facilitate the agency's probe into the overlays scam, which is worth over Rs 600 crore.


Overlays works included the supply of tents, marquees, pre-fabricated units, portable toilets, containers, security fences, furniture, public display LED boards, floor finishes, material handling equipment, generator sets, cabling, UPS, air-conditioners, lighting, civil construction, athletic exercise equipment and grandstands at various venues.


Arrested under sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, Deorukhar was picked up from his residence in Kothrud area of Pune by a CBI team from Delhi. Considered to be a personal loyalist of the Pune Congress MP, Deorukhar has been, according to party sources, Kalmadi's personal assistant for over 15 years. The CBI managed to track the money trail after going through the call details of middleman and all OC officials. They zeroed in on Deorukhar's name through a process of "common linkages" and "layers".


Deorukhar's residences in Pune and Delhi had earlier been searched by the CBI as part of its efforts to unearth the overlays scam. A case had been registered by it in the scam in December last year.


The case in the overlays scam was, in fact, the fourth to be registered by it as part of its investigation into allegations of large-scale corruption in the management of Commonwealth Games.