CBI searches Kalmadi home, may book him for tampering with evidence

Probing allegations of corruption during the Commonwealth Games, the CBI today turned up at the doors of Suresh Kalmadi, chief of the Games Organising Committee, and searched his homes and offices in New Delhi, Pune and Mumbai.With crucial files relating to Games contracts missing, the CBI is now considering slapping charges of destruction of evidence against the OC top brass, including Kalmadi.The view to charge the OC heads for obstructing investigation has strengthened within the agency after it failed to get Kalmadi and Secretary General Lalit Bhanot removed. The Indian Express had first reported that CBI Director A P Singh had written to Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar seeking their removal from the OC as they were coming in the way of the probe.CBI sources contend that critical files relating to all three cases that have been registered so far have gone missing. The cases relate to contracts awarded to AM Cars and AM Films during the Queen's Baton Relay in London and the purchase of the Timing, Scoring and Results (TSR) equipment. "Cases under Section 201 of the IPC (destruction of evidence) can be filed," said a senior official.

Kalmadi was questioned today when his house was searched in New Delhi and the CBI team left with documents. Agency officials claimed that the searches had to do with the money paid to AM Films for video screen installation during the QBR.

It is learnt that the CBI moved against Kalmadi after T S Darbari, Joint Director General of the OC during the Games and now in custody, wrote a letter to the CBI Director last month claiming that "the decision to make payment to AM Films was considered on file and this decision was further endorsed and approved on file by Treasurer Jayachandran, Secretary General Lalit Bhanot and Chairman Suresh Kalmadi".

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