CWG: Govt nod sought to prosecute former NDMC Chairman

CBI has sought govt permission to prosecute former NDMC Chairman Parimal Rai in connection with graft in contracts during 2010 Commonwealth Games.

New Delhi: CBI has sought government permission to prosecute former Chairman of New Delhi Municipal Council Parimal Rai in connection with alleged graft in contracts for upgradation of Shivaji Stadium during 2010 Commonwealth Games as it is going to file a charge sheet soon.

CBI sources said the agency has completed its probe in the case and would soon file a charge sheet after getting permission to prosecute 51-year-old Rai, who is now posted as Secretary in the Goa Government. The agency has also named the then Executive Engineer and the then Superintendent Engineer P K Gulati and R S Thakur respectively as accused in the case. Gulati is now retired from service, they said. The agency had registered a case last year against Rai for alleged irregularities in awarding contracts for the stadium, the CBI sources said. Shivaji Stadium, which was to be prepared for the Commonwealth Games, could not be completed in time despite escalation in costs. The government had given sanction to the agency to go ahead with the probe against the officer last year after which he was named in the FIR. Now, CBI has sought the permission to prosecute the official by filing a charge sheet against him and others involved in the alleged conspiracy. CBI had alleged that the accused officers abused their official position and awarded contracts in the matter of upgradation and renovation of Shivaji and Talkatora stadium at exorbitant rates, by inflating the cost to private firms which resulted in wrongful gain to the private persons and firms and corresponding loss to the NDMC. A 1985-batch IAS from UT cadre, Rai headed the NDMC for a four-year period between 2007 and 2011. PTI