Ghost employees now under Vigilance lens

Tightening the noose around Organising Committee (OC) officials,the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has initiated an inquiry into an alleged recruitment scam in the Commonwealth Games,following complaints that it showed ghost employees on its muster rolls and violated norms while inducting people. A total of 2,050 people were shown as having worked between May 2009 and November 2010 in different capacities and together drew salary running into several crores. Sources said anti-corruption watchdog officials have seized documents related to employees who were recruited for organising the mega sporting event last year.

They said the Commission has received several complaints claiming large-scale irregularities in selecting officials for the Games OC. It was alleged that a large amount of money had been siphoned off as salary expenditure. The CVC has got complaints that many staff members were selected by violating certain norms. The complaints claimed presence of ghost employees on the OC muster rolls. We have taken those complaints seriously and are inquiring into them, said a CVC official.

The officials added that the CVC has asked the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Sports Ministry to probe into the irregularities in the recruitment process. The Income Tax department has asked CWG OC to furnish details of muster rolls,documents regarding selection of workforce,salary and tax deduction at source,among others to check the complaints of alleged fraud.

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The OC has,at present,about 250 employees who are being relieved in a phased manner,the sources said.

The CVC is inquiring into over 25 complaints related to alleged corruption in Games works carried out by different civic and construction agencies. It includes overlays works,workforce selection,hiring of equipment and public relation related projects executed by the OC. Besides,the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered four FIRs,naming some of the close aides of OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi for alleged criminal conspiracy and financial irregularities in executing certain contracts.