This is the second time that the Enforcement Directorate has given a clean chit to former CWG Organising Committee Joint Director General, TS Darbari, on Monday while concluding its 4 years investigations relating to forgery, conspiracy, procedural and financial irregularities committed by OC and its officials, in hiring taxis, video screens and miscellaneous items from M/s. AM Cars & Van Hire Ltd. and M/s. AM Films UK Ltd., during the conduct of the Queens Baton Relay Ceremony held in London on October 29th and evidences of the case & after tenuous investigations spread over the last two years, has now re-filed a charge sheet and issued four Show Cause Notices (SCN’s), under various sections to former Chairman OC, Suresh Kalmadi & his 5 key aides i.e. former Secretary General , Lalit Bhanot, former Director General, V.K. Verma, former Treasurer A.K. Mattoo, former Dy. Director General (London) Sanjay Mohindroo & the suspended Joint Director General (F&A) & Head of the Empowered Committee (specifically constituted for the QBR launch London Ceremony) M. Jeychandren.
The CEO of OC CWG Jarnail Singh, has also been issued SCN for various irregularities, committed by the OC, which he has been heading after Kalmadi and Bhanot were sacked. Earlier in February, 2012 also the ED had reached the same conclusion while charging the five close associates of Kalmadi in the QBR scam. However, in view of the filing of chargesheet by CBI in the matter ED went for another round of investigation of its earlier findings and after a thorough re-investigation in the matter spread over the last 2 years, it has once again concluded and reiterated in its second charge sheet that Darbari had no role in the procurement and hiring of any of the services and the related financial transactions, for the QBR ceremony in London in 2009. Interestingly, most of the accused persons now chargesheeted by ED constitute key prosecution witnesses in the CBI chargesheet.
ED investigations have revealed that in-fact cars were hired from M/s. AM Cars & Van Hire Ltd., at the basic rates approved by the HCI but the over time rates were lower than the HCI over time rates.
Therefore, the total cost of hiring taxis actually worked out to be lower by Rs. 8 Lacs, compared to the HCI rates, on a taxi hiring bill of Rs. 65 Lacs for the period 23 October to 12 November, 2009. These taxis were used by the VIP’s including the large contingent from India, who had gone for the QBR event to London. Besides, the ED investigations further revealed that Darbari had no role in the hiring or payments of Miscellaneous Items e.g., First Aid, Barriers, Toilets, Power Generation, video screens etc. As was always suspected, it is now clear that within OC Darbari was made the scapegoat by Kalmadi and his top OC officials, to divert media attention from the culpability of the OC management in respect of preparedness for the games as well as for their financial bungling and acts of omission and commission in several contracts worth thousands of crores of rupees. This diversionary tactics also suited the Delhi Govt. which stood to benefit as it was under fire and attack from the National and International media.
Kalmadi deliberately terminated Darbari’s services for alleged wrong doings over payments made to the two British Firms, during the QBR ceremony in London. In defiance of all principles of natural justice, Darbari was declared guilty without the opportunity of being heard, and the OC officials under Kalmadi, who were all powerful during August to November, 2010, directed the matter to be investigated by ED & CBI. The two ED investigations clearly establish that Darbari had no role in the financial matters and overpayments during the QBR ceremony and the very same OC management officials now stand indicted by the ED for their wrong doings which were mischievously attributed by them to Darbari.
What is shocking to learn now is that the S Class Mercedes cars were hired at the same rates as the approved rates of the High Commission i.e. GBP 200 per day and not GBP 375 per day as alleged by the CBI. Neither OC nor CBI did any basic calculation to compare the billed rates and payments released by OC with HCI approved rates. Peripheral issue of an email, mischievously flashed by Kalmadi during a press conference which aggravated the media, was made central to the charges, instead of the actual accounts with the view to deflect attention from the coterie and damage Darbari. ED investigations have revealed that in fact no such email was ever used for fixing any rates.
The CEO of OC CWG Jarnail Singh, has also been issued SCN for various irregularities, committed by the OC, which he has been heading after Kalmadi and Bhanot were sacked. Earlier in February, 2012 also the ED had reached the same conclusion while charging the five close associates of Kalmadi in the QBR scam. However, in view of the filing of chargesheet by CBI in the matter ED went for another round of investigation of its earlier findings and after a thorough re-investigation in the matter spread over the last 2 years, it has once again concluded and reiterated in its second charge sheet that Darbari had no role in the procurement and hiring of any of the services and the related financial transactions, for the QBR ceremony in London in 2009. Interestingly, most of the accused persons now chargesheeted by ED constitute key prosecution witnesses in the CBI chargesheet.
ED investigations have revealed that in-fact cars were hired from M/s. AM Cars & Van Hire Ltd., at the basic rates approved by the HCI but the over time rates were lower than the HCI over time rates.
Therefore, the total cost of hiring taxis actually worked out to be lower by Rs. 8 Lacs, compared to the HCI rates, on a taxi hiring bill of Rs. 65 Lacs for the period 23 October to 12 November, 2009. These taxis were used by the VIP’s including the large contingent from India, who had gone for the QBR event to London. Besides, the ED investigations further revealed that Darbari had no role in the hiring or payments of Miscellaneous Items e.g., First Aid, Barriers, Toilets, Power Generation, video screens etc. As was always suspected, it is now clear that within OC Darbari was made the scapegoat by Kalmadi and his top OC officials, to divert media attention from the culpability of the OC management in respect of preparedness for the games as well as for their financial bungling and acts of omission and commission in several contracts worth thousands of crores of rupees. This diversionary tactics also suited the Delhi Govt. which stood to benefit as it was under fire and attack from the National and International media.
Kalmadi deliberately terminated Darbari’s services for alleged wrong doings over payments made to the two British Firms, during the QBR ceremony in London. In defiance of all principles of natural justice, Darbari was declared guilty without the opportunity of being heard, and the OC officials under Kalmadi, who were all powerful during August to November, 2010, directed the matter to be investigated by ED & CBI. The two ED investigations clearly establish that Darbari had no role in the financial matters and overpayments during the QBR ceremony and the very same OC management officials now stand indicted by the ED for their wrong doings which were mischievously attributed by them to Darbari.
What is shocking to learn now is that the S Class Mercedes cars were hired at the same rates as the approved rates of the High Commission i.e. GBP 200 per day and not GBP 375 per day as alleged by the CBI. Neither OC nor CBI did any basic calculation to compare the billed rates and payments released by OC with HCI approved rates. Peripheral issue of an email, mischievously flashed by Kalmadi during a press conference which aggravated the media, was made central to the charges, instead of the actual accounts with the view to deflect attention from the coterie and damage Darbari. ED investigations have revealed that in fact no such email was ever used for fixing any rates.