CBI widens Games probe, raids 11 premises

Searches relate to irregularities in contract for result update system

An aerostat bearing the Delhi 2010 logo is seen during the opening ceremony for the 19th Commonwealth Games at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

Widening the scope of its probe into the allegations of irregularities in the Commonwealth Games, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday carried out searches on 11 premises here, including the houses of four aides of CWG Organising Committee (OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

The searches related to the alleged irregularities in a Rs.107-crore contract with a Swiss firm for the result update system. The agency has registered cases against the OC officials. Official sources said the CBI registered an FIR.

CBI sleuths searched the houses of OC Secretary-General Lalit Bhanot; Director-General V.K. Verma; Joint Director-General (Coordination) R.K. Sacheti; and Sangeeta Welingkar, a member of the Games Image and Look Group.

The searches were conducted at Gurgaon and Noida and in the capital, including the OC headquarters, the sources said.