Delhi Police procured 176 excess bomb detection kits for CWG: Home Ministry

A Home Ministry note to the Parliamentary panel has blamed the Delhi Police for procuring 176 excess bomb detection kits in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games.

The note, which is Home Ministry's point-by-point response to questions raised by the Public Accounts Committee, said Delhi Police officers who attended meetings of the steering committee did not raise issues regarding purchase of 176 portable explosive detection kits (PEDs).

"Such communications were initiated by the Delhi Police through isolated letters to Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) outside the steering committee mechanism. If Delhi Police did not want PEDs to be procured through ECIL, the same could have been excluded from the purview of the joint committee meetings, which were in any case being convened by Delhi Police...," the note said.

The question raised by the PAC was: "Why were the equipment procured when Delhi Police had refused to use them?"

The Home Ministry's written submission comes against the backdrop of top ministry officials and Delhi Police appearing before the PAC, which is looking into the CAG's report on irregularities in 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The note quotes ECIL, a PSU, as stating that the Delhi Police letter was received after the company's commercial offer was submitted to the steering committee. The PEDs were procured in January 2010 and delivered to various Games venues.

While Delhi Police did not purchase PEDs for the Games, it borrowed some from NSG, SPG, CISF and ITBP to make up for the shortfall. It had bought 17 PEDs in 2008. The 176 PEDs were lent out to various states, which had hosted the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.

"MHA is making all efforts to ensure utilisation of all surplus equipment, including PEDs, through absorption by state and central police and security organisations," the note said.

The joint committee, comprising officials from Delhi Police, Intelligence Bureau and Games Organising Committee was set up to give expert oversight on the proposals made by ECIL for security gadgets to be installed at various Games venues.

... contd.

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