Kalmadi to appear before CBI today
The Commonwealth Games (CWG) organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi is likely to appear before the CBI for questioning again on Tuesday. The CBI is investigating various cases of alleged corruption in the conduct of the Games.
The CBI has also started its probe into the alleged irregularities committed in awarding contract related to the catering signed by the OC members with the Australian firm Delaware North for the games.
According to sources Mr Kalmadi is likely to be questioned by the agency in connection with irregularities committed in CWG contracts related to catering and ticketing also.
Sources said, “The catering contract, signed by the OC with the Delaware North (Australia), worth `66.59 crores, is being probed by the CBI. The agency may register a case in this regard very soon. Secretary general of the OC, Lalit Bhanot, had already been questioned by the CBI in this regard.”
“While signing the catering contract, even the Olympic formula of awarding the contract to one company for both catering as well as supply of equipment, was allegedly violated. The Delaware North has signed an agreement worth `66.59 crores for catering and M/S PKL, London, signed an agreement for installation of kitchen equipment worth `9.50 crore with the OC,” sources said.
The circumstances under which the OC signed the agreement with two companies for catering need to be examined, source said. “The expression of interest for the catering tender was floated on June 27, 2008, following which 25 players had submitted their bids. The tenders were floated in August. In the original contract, the total allocation for equipment was just `20 crore. The OC was supposed to hire kitchen equipment on rental basis as part of the same catering budget,” sources said.
Probe agencies may question other officials of the OC as well as foreign firms which have signed the agreements, sources said adding that some executive heads in the OC will also be questioned in this regard. The CBI may question some government officials also in this regard, sources added.
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