CWG: CBI seeks nod to proceed against Lalli

The CBI has sought sanction of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to prosecute former Prasar Bharti CEO B S Lalli and Doordarshan Director General Aruna Sharma in connection with CWG scam.

New Delhi: The CBI has sought sanction of
the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to prosecute former
Prasar Bharti CEO B S Lalli and Doordarshan Director General
Aruna Sharma in connection with allegations of corruption in
award of broadcasting rights of Commonwealth Games.
Soon after getting clearance from the Prime Minister`s
Office to initiate action against both the officials on the
basis of the recommendations of the V K Shunglu committee, the
CBI wrote to the Ministry seeking its nod to go ahead with
criminal proceedings against them, sources said.

The Prime Minister, after receiving the report, had
issued directions that explanations be sought from Lalli and
Sharma in the award of broadcasting rights of Commonwealth
Games causing Rs.135 crore loss to the exchequer.

Sharma, a Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer, was
ordered to be reverted back to the state.

The Prime Minister decided to refer the matter to CBI
after considering the report on the Host Broadcasting Issues
related to the Games and the report given by Cabinet Secretary
K M Chandrasekhar.

In its report, the committee had fixed the
responsibility for providing "undue benefit" to SIS Live and
Zoom Communications primarily on Lalli and Sharma and said
they cannot be recused from the acts of omission and
commission which facilitated this wrong doing.
The committee had also said certain actions seem to
attract penal provisions under IPC and the Prevention of
Corruption Act which need to be separately investigated.

PTI

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