A court in Delhi has formally closed the investigation of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the alleged money laundering linked to the Commonwealth Games 2010 (CWG). The court has accepted the closure report submitted by the federal agency, thereby putting down the curtains on the years-long enquiry.
The court formally accepted the closure report of the ED concerning Suresh Kalmadi, the former Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Lalit Bhanot, the then Secretary General, as well as others.
The acceptance of the closure report brings to end the money laundering angle in the alleged scam, which reportedly took place 15 years ago during the 2010 commonwealth games.
The case, which was being investigated by the ED, took 13 years to close.
CWG case: What did Delhi court say?
Special judge Sanjeev Aggarwal noted the CBI had already closed the corruption case, based on which the ED started its money laundering probe and accepted the report. This report also named CWG OC’s then COO, Vijay Kumar Gautam, its then treasurer, A K Matto, Event Knowledge Service (EKS), Switzerland, and CEO, Craig Gordon MeLatchey.
The judge said ED’s submission that the offence of money laundering was not found during its investigation.
“Since during the investigations, the prosecution has failed to make out a offence under section 3 (money laundering) of the PMLA… as no offence under section 3 of the PMLA has been made out or has been committed, despite discreet investigations by the ED, therefore, there is no reason to continue with the present ECIR, as a consequence, the closure report filed by the ED stands accepted,” the judge held, according to news agency PTI.
The sole money laundering investigation was initiated by the ED based on the case lodged by the CBI, he said.
2010 CWG Games case
The allegations of corruption in conducting the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG) triggered a huge political uproar in the country, leading to filing of several criminal and money laundering cases, including the present one.
Kalmadi and others were accused of misconduct in award and execution of two important contracts for the games.
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