CWG corruption: CBI files case against MCD officials

The CBI has registered a case against some MCD officials and a private firm for alleged irregularities in a street lighting project undertaken by the municipal body ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

Official sources said the case was registered about three weeks back under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act among others.

The CBI move comes after the Central Vigilance Commission wrote to the agency to register a corruption case against some MCD officials in connection with irregularities in a tender issued for a Commonwealth Games project worth several crores.

CBI sources said while the project for upgrading streetlights along 105 km of city roads was not exclusively meant for the Commonwealth Games, it was to be completed by the beginning of the sporting extravaganza.

The sources alleged that the contractor (private firm) who had got the job after quoting the lowest amount for the project was later allowed to change the figures to earn more profit. This was done after manipulating the tender documents, they said.

However, the exact amount of total profits made by the contractor could not be ascertained but officials believe it may run up to several crore.

The CVC has found serious discrepancies like award of works at higher rates to bidders, poor quality of construction and grant of work to ineligible agencies in different Games-related construction works being carried out by various departments in the capital.

As per the assessment report prepared by CVC's Chief Technical Examination Wing, large-scale procedural violations, including corruption, have been noticed in 16 projects.