CWG scam: ED attaches property worth Rs 94L

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday attached properties worth Rs 94.24 lakh lying with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), in connection with a money laundering case filed with respect to the corruption cases that surfaced during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, officials here said.

Officials of the NDMC at the time had allegedly fraudulently awarded four contracts worth around Rs 5.25 crore to one Raja Aederi Consultants Pvt Ltd, ignoring appropriate procedures.

The consulting company had allegedly acquired the first contract to conduct renovation works in Shivaji and Talkatora Stadiums before the CWG 2010 for a price of Rs 1 crore. This came despite the fact that Raja Aederi Consultants did not have the required experience to carry out such works. In fact, the NDMC went on to award three more contracts to the firm at an added cost of Rs 4.25 crore, without taking out a tender.

The ED's investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has revealed that proceeds of this crime amounting to over Rs 90 lakh was lying with the NDMC and subsequently issued a provisional attachment order for the movable properties, the probe agency said.

While the ED's investigation in this case continues, the CBI which had initially registered the case, also alleging the involvement of two NDMC engineers, took the case to trial, which convicted Raja Aederi and Uday Shankar Bhat, both directors in the consultancy firm.

However, the special CBI court here had decided that the prosecution was unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, the guilt of then Superintending Engineer RS Thakur and Executive Engineer VK Gulati. The CBI, in court, had argued that members of the firms had submitted false documentation to secure the contract and thus, in connivance with the engineers conspired to cheat the government.