Find political angle in CWG probe: BJP to Shunglu panel

NEW DELHI - A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation Monday met V.K. Shunglu, who is probing alleged irregularities in the Commonwealth Games, for finding out the role of politicians in the corruption that led to “escalation of budget for the Games to Rs.70,000 crore from Rs.1,899 crore”.

“The Commonwealth Games is one of the biggest scams of the country and the money made in it is believed to have travelled right up to the powers,” the BJP delegation led by the party’s city unit chief Vijendra Gupta alleged.

“The money has also travelled abroad. The agencies probing the Games corruption will merely be focusing on tenders and papers besides questioning the middle level officials who were merely conduits and doing the bidding for their political masters. So, the politicians’ role can be found out,” the party said in a memorandum submitted to the Shunglu committee.

The party also complained against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for “allowing her favourites in the Commonwealth Games loot.

“A bungling of Rs.1,100 crore in the Games has come to light. Dikshit awarded a contract of Rs.160 crore in lumpsum to her favourite firm Satya Prakash and Sons. She also wasted Rs.700 crore of Scheduled Castes welfare funds on the Games,” the delegation noted.

It demanded that the role of ministers involved in the Games work be also investigated and an interim report should be published.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set up the Shunglu committee Nov 15 to investigate the weaknesses in management, alleged misappropriation, irregularities and wrongdoing in the conduct of the Games held between Oct 3-14.