CWG scam: CBI allowed to quiz Bhanot, Verma

The Central Bureau of Investigation was allowed by a Delhi court to quiz two former top officials of CWG Organising Committee, Lalit Bhanot and V K Verma, in custody for five days in connection with alleged irregularities in the Rs 107- crore deal with a Swiss firm for supply of timing, scoring and result (TSR) systems.

"Both the accused are remanded in five-day CBI custody till March 1," Special Judge Talwant Singh said. The probe agency submitted both the accused had awarded the contract for TSR systems to M/s Swiss Timing Limited at exorbitant rates in an illegal manner by abusing their official positions.

"Both the accused awarded the contract to M/s Swiss Timing Limited at exorbitant rates for approximately Rs 107 crores, in a most wrongful manner, restricting/eliminating all competition and thereby caused huge wrongful loss to Government of India in corresponding wrongful gain to firm," CBI said in its four-page remand application.

A large number of relevant documents have been recovered after the preliminary probe, it said. The accused, close aides of former OC chief Suresh Kalmadi, were among the "main functionary and key personnel" at that time and were instrumental in allotment of the TSR contract to the Swiss firm in a "preplanned and premeditated manner" at exorbitant rates, the application said.