NEW DELHI // Indian Police have arrested the chief organiser of last year's Commonwealth Games today as part of a corruption investigation into the scandal-plagued competition in New Delhi.
India had hoped that the Games would help it project the image of a rising superpower, but instead it was deeply embarrassed by corruption allegations, construction delays and cost overruns as the budget ballooned to Rs700 billion (Dh55bn) from an estimated Rs18.9bn.
Suresh Kalmadi, the highest-ranking member of the organising committee to be arrested, has been charged with conspiracy for allegedly favouring a Swiss company in the purchase of equipment for timing and scoring events, the Central Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Dharini Mishra said.
Two other officials on the Games organising committee — Lalit Bhanot and VK Verma — had been arrested earlier in the same case.
The bureau claims the government was bilked out of Rs1.41bn, paid to Swiss Timings Ltd for equipment available from another company for much less.
