India's top anti-graft body is investigating at least 40 construction and procurement contracts
NEW DELHI (TrustLaw) - India's top anti-graft body is widening its probe into financial irregularities in the run-up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games and is investigating at least 40 construction and procurement contracts, the Hindustan Times reported on Monday.
The October games, hosted in the capital New Delhi, were overshadowed by charges of inflated bills and of tenders manipulated to favour certain suppliers. The scandal is one of many corruption cases to plague the Congress-led coalition government in recent months.
The newspaper said that, according to a query filed under India's Right to Information Act, the Central Vigilance Commission reported it was probing government agencies such as the sports ministry, the Delhi municipality, the Games Organising Committee and the Department of Commerce.
"The sale of VIP passes, supply of furniture, equipment and utensils for (the) Games Village, (the) misuse of funds by certain central and Delhi government officials and discrepancies in appointment of placement brokers are also being examined by the anti-corruption watchdog," said the daily.
"The Commission has sought a report from (the) Delhi Government and (the) sports ministry respectively on irregularities in (the) purchase of medical equipment and sale of VIP passes for the sporting extravaganza held here between October 3-14 last year," the paper added.
Indian police in January questioned the chief organiser of the games, Suresh Kalmadi, and his home was raided by agents of Central Bureau of Investigation in December who took away documents they said could lead to evidence of financial irregularities.
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