New Delhi: Top bosses of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and the Organizing Committee have come under the government's scanner with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sending notices to the Royal Bank of Scotland in London and to its Indian representative for providing all transaction details of payments made by the OC, The Times of India reported on Friday.
The ED investigation is now focused on trailing the ultimate beneficiaries of the payments made to four major CWG consultants - Event Knowledge Services, Fast Track Sales Ltd, Sports Marketing And Management (SMAM) and AM Films.
Preliminary findings of the probe carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had revealed that undue favour had been shown to London-based Fast Track Sales Ltd "solely on the recommendation" of CGF president Mike Fennell and OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi.
ED officials, who questioned sacked Kalmadiaide T S Darbari a few days ago on the payments made to little-known London firm AM Films, may also call suspended OC finance committee head M Jeychandren for questioning in the next few days.
They are expected to seek details on payments made to all foreign consultants.
Sources said Kalmadi may not be called for questioning till October 13, the day the Games conclude. But efforts will be made to investigate all leads based on payments made so far to all foreign consultants by the OC.
Besides Darbari, ED has already questioned former OC deputy DG Sanjay Mohindroo for transactions related to AM Films.
The OC had approved the international broadcasting sales consultancy to Fast Track Sales Ltd "only on the basis of suggestions made by the president and CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and chairman of the OC," according to documentary evidence gathered by CAG officials during the initial inspection of CWG books.
The OC had signed agreements to the tune of Rs 208 crore ($46 million) with different agencies, including agreement in process amounting to over $3 million with British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for the broadcasting rights in UK. The commission to Fast Track on these broadcast rights was 15%.
The OC secretary general, Lalit Bhanot, has defended the award of the contract to Fast Track saying it was a well thought out decision as they did not want all works to go to SMAM.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Commonwealth Games Federation CEO Mike Hooper also defended the decision of the CGF president in recommending Fast Track saying that though the federation did make this suggestion, but it was ultimately for the OC to select consultants for the New Delhi CWG.
"Although the CGF supported the appointment of Fast Track, it strongly refutes any inference that it interfered in the selection process," Hooper said adding that having awarded the Games to Delhi, it is for the OC to decide who it wants to appoint for any outsourced role.
ED is probing linkages of SMAM with the Mauritius-based World Sports Group (WSG). The latter had received Rs 380 crore "facilitation fee" in the IPL-Gate and is still under scanner of multiple agencies in India. SMAM was also the agency that was hired by the Kalmadi-led OC for the Youth Games in Pune in 2008.
The other consultancy firm to whom payments have been made is the Swiss headquartered EKS that was hired by the CWG organisers to provide knowhow on the conduct of the Games.
