CBI arrests Lalit Bhanot, VK Verma

Former Common wealth Games Organising Committee general secretary Lalit Bhanot and former director general VK Verma have been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation with irregularities in the Rs 107 crore time-keeping contract awarded to Swiss company Omega for the Games.The Organising Committee got request from two companies, Omega and MS Spain and rates offered by the latter were much lower.

But the Organising Committee chose to go with Omega even though the price quoted by the Swiss company was almost double the price from other bidders.Bhanot was sacked from the Common wealth Games Organising Committee on January 24 2011 after three months of inquiry by the CBI into the economic irregularities in link with the Games held in October 2010.

Both Bhanot and Verma were grilled by CBI officials at the investigating agency's headquarters on Wednesday in link with details relating to the agreement given to the Swiss time-keeping company. Bhanot has been claiming that all the decisions related to the Common wealth Games were taken keeping government officials in the loop. Sources say former Common wealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi is likely to be arrested soon.