CAG to reopen CWG scam probe

Even as the curtains went down on the Commonwealth Games, another no less important show will unfold soon. The government is about to launch a massive investigation into the alleged corruption among organisers of the games.
 
Different agencies that will conduct the investigation are awaiting the government's go-ahead, which is expected soon.
 
The organising committee for the games was headed by Suresh Kalmadi and the members may be required to answer some tough questions, officials said.
 
There seems to be enough evidence to prove that funds related to the games were diverted to tax havens like Mauritius, they point out.
 
According to external affairs minister SM Krishna, success of the games was one side of the story but the natural corollary would be followed up.
 
According to analysts, the issue was certain to gain political colours. Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh had said the probe would be undertaken after the games, BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said, adding, his party would give them a couple of days to see what action was being taken.
 
He said, if there was no movement on the issue, the BJP has made plans for such an eventuality as well.
 
Based on early investigations, 30 case files had been prepared by the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI and the Income Tax department.

The agencies had used an interim report prepared by India's comptroller and auditor general (CAG) before the Commonwealth Games. That report found that a number of deals had been conceived to misuse taxpayers' money.
 
According to the interim report, the Organising Committee had awarded international broadcast rights and sponsorship deals in violation of basic procedure, to consultants and companies whose terms were not the most favourable. This has caused a loss of at least Rs20 crore.
 
Officials who have been engaged in the task of uncovering the evidence to support the financial track record of the organisers have reportedly, not yet, asked the Organising Committee for copies of contracts and documents as they were concerned that files would suddenly go missing.
 
According to PTI, the CAG has also resumed its own investigation from today. The CAG has started assessing the expenditure on the games in August, but had to suspend the audit related work in the last week of September as the premises of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) were not accessible.
 
The official said the CAG had to suspend their audit for over a fortnight as most of the CPWD offices are located at venues that were being used for the games.
 
According to PTI, the biggest venue - Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium - has not yet been inspected by the CAG.
 
CAG would submit its final report to the government by the end of January. The CAG audit would examine the cost of the games and whether it justified the quality of the material and equipment used at the venues.