Mahendroo released from jail

New Delhi, Jan 15 (PTI) CWG Organising CommitteeChairman Suresh Kalmadi''s close aide Sanjay Mahendroo, who hadbeen arrested for alleged bunglings in the Queen''s Baton relayin London in 2009, was released here on bail this eveningfollowing a court order.

However, Mahendroo did not speak to the waitingmediamen outside the high security Tihar jail where he waslodged for the last two months.

Earlier in the day, a Delhi court had granted bail toMahendroo after the CBI failed to file a charge sheet againsthim within the stipulated 60 days after the FIR was lodged inthe case.

Mahendroo, a joint director general in the CWG OC, hadbeen in jail since November 15 last year after he was arrestedalong with his colleague T S Darbari, a co-accused in thecase who has already been granted bail.

Special CBI Judge O P Saini enlarged Mahendroo on bailafter CBI failed to complete the investigation and file itschargesheet in the case within the stipulated 60 days'' periodafter registration of the FIR.

The court also took into account the Delhi HighCourt''s order, which had yesterday granted bail to co-accusedDarbari in the case.

"In pursuance of the Delhi High Court order, theaccused is enlarged on bail as the CBI could not file thechargesheet within 60 days," the special CBI judge said.

Darbari, a former official of the CWG OrganisingCommittee and another close aide of Kalmadi, too had beengiven bail on account of CBI''s failure in filing thechargesheet within 60 days.

The court granted bail to Mahendroo on a personalbond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties of the same amount andasked him not to leave the country without its permission.

It also cautioned him against trying to influenceprosecution witnesses or tamper with the evidence in the casewhile remaining out on bail. .

The Delhi High Court had yesterday granted bail to Darbari and had deferred the hearing on the bail plea ofanother co-accused M Jayachandran, joint director (finance) inthe CWG OC, to January 17.

The CBI has time till January 20 to file itschargesheet against Jayachandran, who was arrested on November21, failing which he too would have to be released on bail.

The accused are facing charges of causing losses tothe exchequer in award of contract to the tune of Rs 1.55crore with regard to the QBR on October 29, 2009 in Londonbefore the Commonwealth Games.

The CBI had registered two cases in connection withcontracts awarded to London-based A M Films and AM Car and VanHire Limited at exorbitant rates.

The agency had conducted searches at their premisesbesides the OC headquarters here.

The first case was registered by the CBI underdifferent sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Actin relation to the award of contract to AM car and Van HireLimited.

The CBI has questioned Kalmadi and carried outsearches at his premises in Delhi, Pune and Mumbai.

The agency has named Darbari, Mahendroo, Jayachandran,OC Director Raj Singh, Director of transport firm AshishPatel, and other unknown persons under sections 468 (forgeryof court records and public documents), 471 (using forgeddocuments as genuine), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC andPrevention of Corruption Act.

The second case involves London-based A M Films andthe probe agency had named Patel, Mahendroo, Darbari andothers under sections 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminalconspiracy) of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.

The accused are already facing charges of violation ofForeign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and have beenquestioned by the Enforcement Directorate.

The ED had registered its first case under FEMA in CWGafter British authorities referred to the Indian HighCommission a matter regarding A M Films, a little-knowncompany, to which a huge sum of money was transferred throughthe Royal Bank of Scotland.