CBI raids Jharkhand sports official’s home over ’11 National Games scam

DHANBAD: CBI sleuths from Ranchi and Dhanbad raided the Dhanbad house of Jharkhand Taekwondo Association vice-president Prabhat Kumar Sharma and two other places in connection with the 34th National Games scam on Friday.
Sharma was the general secretary of the state taekwondo association and a member of the tender and purchase committee for the National Games when the sporting event was held in February 2011.
Though none of the CBI officials were ready to say anything on record, the agency, on the directives of Jharkhand high court, is learnt to be probing the alleged irregularities in purchase of sports equipment and embezzlement of funds in construction of the stadium and renovation of the badminton court in Dhanbad.
It is alleged that sport equipment were purchased at an exorbitant rate and rules were not followed in allotting tenders.
Five events of the National Games were conducted in Dhanbad for which a stadium, two sports hostels, two squash courts, two sepak-takraw (kick volleyball) courts were constructed, a badminton court was renovated and electronic scoreboards purchased in Dhanbad.
It was alleged that while quality was not maintained in construction of the stadium and funds more than the estimate were paid to the contractor for its construction, several irregularities were reported in allotment of tenders and purchase of equipment.
The Jharkhand high court on April 11 directed the CBI to investigate the allegations after which theraids were conducted at more than 18 places, including at the residence of former minister Bandhu Tirkey on May 26 and 27.