CWG scam: Kalmadi aides Darbari, Mahendroo arrested

Common wealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi's close aides T S Darbari and Sanjay Mahendroo were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday evening for their suspected role in the enormous financial irregularities in the organisation of the Games.Darbari and Mahendroo were suspended primarily after reports of the scam started appearing in the media. Both officials were sacked later. Earlier in the day, the CBI registered two separate cases in the alleged irregularities in CWG, involving UK-based A M Films and former officials of the CWG Organising Committee on charges of forgery and dishonest in organising Queen's Baton Relay in London.

Immediately after registering the cases, the CBI carried out searches at four places in the national capital region with the office of CWG Organising Committee, agency officials said. The searches were conducted at the residence of sacked Joint Director General T S Darbari, deputy director-general Sanjay Mahendroo and Raj Singh, a Director-level officer in the OC, the officials said. CBI looks to be targetting some CWG Organising Committee members but is fully silent on the role of the top man, Suresh Kalmadi, the OC chairman whose signature was crucial to the payments finished.

The first case names London-based A M Car/Van Services and its owner Ashish Patel besides Darbari, Mahendroo and Singh under sections 468 (forgery of court records and public documents), 471 (Using forged documents as genuine), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act. The second case involves London-based A M Films, Patel, Mahendroo, Darbari and others under sections 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.As searches were on, the sacked officials were being questioned by the CBI about the Queen Baton Relay for which a impressive function was held in London.