Arrest of former Organising Committee (OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi’s aide Deorukhar Shekhar’s by CBI sleuths might provide a missing link to Comptroller Auditor General for India (CAG) in concluding audit report on Commonwealth Games for the submission in the Parliament. The CAG’s audit on the Games will be tabled in the Parliament in the coming session. However, senior CAG officials refused to comment on the issue.
Sources pointed out that CAG is now awaiting interrogation report of Mr Shekhar to finish the audit of the Games-related projects and alleged financial irregularities. Mr Shekhar, who was the Officer on special duty (OSD) to Mr Kalmadi, was picked up by the CBI for irregularities in overlays contracts in the Games.
This is the fourth arrest in this case after the CBI had earlier arrested top OC officials T.S. Darbari, M. Jayachandran and Sanjay Mahendroo. The Delhi high court, however, granted bail to the three OC officials in January after the CBI failed to file any chargesheet against them.
The CAG report, likely to be tabled in the Budget Session of Parliament, says important files on contracts were kept pending by Suresh Kalmadi chairman of Organising Committee, which resulted in cost escalation. The report asks why all important contracts were signed in 2010, when they should have been completed much before. Over 90 per cent contracts for the Games were signed in 2010. “Since the CBI will question Mr Shekhar on reasons as to why the certain important files on contracts were kept pending. Mr Shekhar’s confession report will help the CAG to conclude its CWG audit to be tabled in the Parliament,” said sources.
Meanwhile, sources have also pointed out that the CAG might summon Mr Shekhar. “However, Mr Shekhar’s questioning by the CAG will only take place if the CAG is not satisfied with the CBI’s investigation,” said sources. Senior CAG officials were not available for comments.
The CAG wants to know from arrested OC officials why all important contracts were signed in 2010, when they should have been completed much before. The CAG further wants to know from the arrested OC officials: “Did Mr Kalmadi sat on files related to the catering contract for the Games Village without giving any reason and did Mr Kalmadi signed files without putting down the date on which he signed? The CAG says this was done to cover the delay,” pointed sources.
However, the first audit of the Games began four-and-a-half years after the first instalment of money was released to the OC.