New Delhi: After being given a wide mandate,
the Chief of the Prime Minister-appointed panel probing the
Commonwealth games scam today vowed to look into every aspect
of complaints while the controversy over broadcast contract
for the event refused to die down amid fresh allegations.
V K Shunglu, a former CAG, said the two-member Committee
will go into various complaints and take necessary action on
matters involving alleged misappropriation, wasteful
expenditure and other wrongful conduct by the individuals and
departments concerned.
"The Terms of Reference (ToR) are wide and
comprehensive. We will go in to every aspect of the complaints
(related to alleged fraud in the conduct of mega sporting
event)," Shunglu told PTI.
"The committee will arrive at a logical conclusion on
the probe and submit its report within the stipulated time of
three months," he said.
Shubnglu said he hopes to assemble a team for the
Committee`s probe in the next two or three days.
The Prime Minister`s Office yesterday announced a
10-point Terms of Reference for the Shunglu panel which was
comprehensive and all encompassing.
On the controversy over the award of the Broadcasting
contract to UK-based SIS Live, government sources claimed that
its clauses were changed without the knowledge of the
Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
Documents available show that certain clauses in the
final contract had been altered to accommodate the British
firm, which had the sole telecasting rights for the CWG,
sources said a day after Prasar Bharti CEO B S Lalli claimed
that the Information and Broadcasting Minister had cleared it.
In one of the clauses in the draft contract, which was
cleared by the I and B Ministry, and was required to be
incorporated verbatim in the final document, an extra sentence
was inserted which sources said was an attempt to favour the
company.
I and B Ministry sources said while the draft contract
was vetted and cleared by the Ministry, the final contract,
which was signed, was not. It was, however, obligatory for the
Prasar Bharti to follow the draft contract in letter and
spirit.
As the multi-agency probe continued, the CBI said it
was looking into complaints relating to alleged irregularities
in Queen`s Baton Relay (QBR) event and is examining documents
pertaining to it, including those related to transfer of
funds.
-PTI
