Former Joint Director of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, TS Darbari has got a major respite with the Enforcement Directorate exonerating him in a CWG-related corruption case. The ED, which re-investigated the CBI chargesheet in the case, gave a clean chit to Darbari while finding no substance to establish the prosecution case against him. The case relates to alleged financial irregularities in hiring of taxis and outdoor management for the Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) in london in October 2009.
Contrary to the CBI charges, the ED noted that the S-Class Mercedes cars were hired at the same rates as approved by the High Commission of India, i.e. GBP 200 per day and GBP 375 as alleged by the CBI. It further found that Darbari had no role in the financial matters and overpayments during the QBR ceremony.
Meanwhile, after re-examining the chargesheet for over two years, the ED has issued showcause notices to former Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi and his five key aides — former secretary general lalit Bhanot, former director general VK Verma, former treasurer AK Mattoo, former deputy director general Sanjay Mahindroo and suspended director general M Jeychandren. Jeychandren was also the head of the empowered committee specially constituted for the QBR launch ceremony in london. ED investigations have revealed that the cars were hired from AM Cars & Vans Hire ltd at the basic rates approved by the High Commission but the overtime rates were even lower than the approved overtime rates and thus the total cost of hiring taxis actually worked out to be lower by Rs8 lakh.
Earlier in February 2012, the ED had given clean chit to Darbari in its first chargesheet filed in the case which also names Kalmadi and five others. Darbari was arrested on November 15 by the CBI. However, the ED concluded that Darbari’s role in the OC was restricted only to marketing.