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28 March 2024

Delhi Commonwealth Games treasurer arrested

Published
By AFP

 

Indian police said Monday they had arrested the sacked treasurer of the Delhi Commonwealth Games organising committee, the third official to be held over corruption during the tainted event.

M. Jayachandran was arrested Sunday after several rounds of questioning and searches were being carried out at his residence, a spokesman for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), R.K. Gaur, told AFP.

"We have arrested the former treasurer of the Games and will be presenting him before a local court to seek his custody," he said.

Investigators have seized his laptop and documents from his office and residence to track financial transactions made before the Games, which began on October 3.

Earlier this month, police charged two other top former Games officials over alleged corruption in connection with the Queen's Baton Relay in London last year.

The Queen's Baton Relay saw the baton pass through all nations who participated in the Games, more than 70 countries and territories in the former British empire.

Police said the two handed out contracts at "exorbitant rates" to two London-based private firms for providing transport services and video screens for the event held in London.

The CBI has filed charges of forgery, criminal conspiracy and corruption against the two detained officials as well as against owners of London-based companies AM Car and Van Services and AM Films.

The two officials were sacked by the organising committee's chairman Suresh Kalmadi after the scandal surfaced before the Games opened in October.

Kalmadi quit as secretary to India's ruling Congress party earlier this month following calls for a probe into his alleged role in Games-related corruption.

The budget for the sporting extravaganza ballooned to around six billion dollars, but the event was still hit by delays and organisational problems.

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) national watchdog has also received complaints alleging up to 1.8 billion dollars of Games money was misappropriated.

Months before the event began, the CVC reported a plethora of problems with construction work including the use of poor-quality materials.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set up a panel to investigate claims of financial irregularities and two other government bodies are also running separate probes.