CVC now probes recruitment scam in CWG OC; seizes documents

Ashwini Shrivastava

New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) The Central Vigilance Commissionhas initiated an inquiry into an alleged recruitment scam inthe Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) followingcomplaints that it showed ghost employees on its muster rollsand violated norms while inducting people.

A total of 2,100 people were shown as having workedbetween May 2009 and November 2010 in different capacitiesand together drew salary running into several crores.

Sources said the anti-corruption watchdog officials haveseized documents related to the employees who were recruitedfor organising the mega sporting event last year.

They said the Commission has received several complaintsclaiming large scale irregularities in selecting officials forthe Games OC. It was alleged that a large amount of money hadbeen siphoned off as salary expenditure.

"The CVC has got complaints that many staff members wereselected by violating certain norms. The complaints alsoclaimed presence of ghost employees on the OC muster rolls. Wehave taken those complaints seriously and are enquiring intothem," a CVC official said, requesting anonymity.

The sources said it is a significant step followingallegations of "fraudulent" recruitment process undertaken bythe OC.

They said that CVC has also asked the Chief VigilanceOfficer of the Sports Ministry to probe irregularities in thewhole recruitment process.

In a related development, the Income tax departmenthas also asked CWG OC furnish details of muster rolls,documents pertinent to selection of workforce, salary and TaxDeduction at Source among others to check the complaints ofalleged fraud.

The OC has at present about 250 employees who arebeing relieved in a phased manner, the sources said.

The anti-corruption watchdog is enquiring into over 30complaints related to alleged corruption in Games workscarried out by different civic and construction agency. Itincludes overlays works, workforce selection, hiring ofequipment and public relation related projects executed by OC.

The high-level Shunglu Committee, appointed by thePrime Minister to look into corruption and procedural lapsesin the conduct of the Games, has asked information from publicabout the alleged recruitment scam.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had on October 25 lastyear appointed the Committee under the chairmanship of formerComptroller and Auditor General V K Shunglu and asked it tosubmit its report within three months time.

Besides, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) hasregistered four FIRs naming some of the close aides of OCchairman Suresh Kalmadi for alleged criminal conspiracy andfinancial irregularities in executing certain contracts.

The CBI has also questioned Kalmadi in connection withthe cases.