Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Tuesday granted bail to Binu Nanu, an official of a private firm who was held in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the Rs.600 crore overlays contract linked to the Commonwealth Games last year.

Justice Ajit Bharihoke allowed the bail application of Nanu on a personal bond of Rs.50,000 along with two sureties of same amount. He was arrested Jan 18.

The court asked Nanu to surrender his passport to the trial court and to join the investigation whenever the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) called him. It also told him not to try and tamper with evidence.

“Do not leave India without intimating the court or local police here,” said the court.

The court said he was released on bail because CBI officials submitted that they were not filing a charge sheet against him within the stipulated 60 days from the date of his arrest.

“We have seized all the documents related to investigation in this matter, therefore there is no chance of tampering with the evidence,” said counsel for CBI.

The CBI also said that they have questioned his employees.

Nanu, the director of event management company GL Events-Meroform, said in the bail plea that he was remanded to judicial custody by a lower court on the conclusion of his four-day custodial interrogation by the CBI.

The CBI Jan 12 searched the offices and residences of Nanu and many others after it registered a case in the alleged overlays scam.

“Nanu’s wife Roopana is also one of his associates in the business,” the agency said.

The case, the fourth in connection with the Games, was registered against former Games Organising Committee (OC) director general V.K. Verma.

The CBI alleged that Verma and others entered into a “criminal conspiracy” with managing directors and directors of private companies in the award of contracts for overlays for different venues of the Games at “exorbitant rates”.

The overlays contracts are also under the scanner of the Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate.

The overlays included supply of tents, pre-fabricated units, portable toilets, containers, security fences, furniture, public display LED boards, floor finishes, material handling equipment, gensets, cabling, air-conditioners, lighting, civil construction and exercise equipment.

In another development, a Delhi court sent Lalit Bhanot and Verma, former high ranking officials of the (OC), to 14 days’ judicial custody in connection with alleged financial lapses in a contract with a Swiss company.

CBI Special Judge Talwant Singh sent the OC’s former secretary general Bhanot and Verma to judicial custody till March 29.

The two also moved an bail application Tuesday.

The court said: “Bhanot’s bail application will be taken up on March 23, whereas Verma’s bail plea will be heard on March 24.”

The CBI Feb 23 arrested Verma and Bhanot, who was a key aide of former OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi, for irregularities to the tune of Rs.1.07 billion ($23 million) in a contract with the Swiss company for time-keeping equipment for the Oct 3-14, 2010 mega event.