The CBI is likely to file a closure report in the case related to award of broadcast network contract, worth Rs 570 crores, of the Commonwealth Games-2010 given by the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) to a Noida-based private firm. This is the fourth case related to the CWG in which the agency is planning to file closure report.
According to sources, the agency is expected to file a closure report in the case next month.
“As part of its probe into alleged irregularities into the conduct of the CWG, the CBI on June 8, 2011 had registered an FIR against several accused persons, including former officials of the MTNL, for the alleged award of a broadcast network contract at an exorbitant rate of Rs 570.12 crores to a private firm. The agency has now come to the conclusion that the allegation could not be substantiated during its investigation,” sources said.
The CBI had alleged in its FIR that MTNL officials manipulated the contract’s tendering process and the specifications.
Immediately after registering the case, CBI officials had conducted searches at the residential premises of senior MTNL officials in Delhi, Noida, Jaipur and Patna.
Sources said, “The agency has also not found anything substantial against the Noida-based company, dealing in optical fibre transmission”. The agency had also alleged that MTNL awarded the work of broadcast network based on certain specific technology (IP/MPLS) at an exorbitant price of approximately Rs 570.12 crores by manipulating specifications in such a manner as to make them tailor-made for the bidders.
The CBI had also alleged that the broadcasting data transmission requirements for CWG-2010 were very limited, based on optical fibre transmission, for which an initial estimate of approximately `.31.43 crores was prepared, the MTNL in their proposal allegedly enhanced the network costing by Rs 380 crores. This had been done with an intention to cause huge pecuniary advantage to the contracting firms, alleged the agency.
“Probe by the agency has revealed that enhancing network costing by the MTNL was a collective administrative decision that was taken after due diligence,” sources said.