CBI may close case against Lalli

The CBI had filed a case in 2011 against Lalli and Managing Director of Delhi-based Zoom Communications Wasim Dehlvi,who is also the resident director of UK-based SIS Live,under section 120-B and 420 of Indian Penal Code related to criminal conspiracy and fraud respectively. It had alleged a major portion of Rs 246 crore contract given to UK-based SIS Live by Prasar Bharti for production and coverage of Commonwealth Games was sub-contracted to Zoom Communications for only Rs 176 crore resulting in loss of nearly Rs 100 crore to the exchequer.

After a one-year-long investigation,the CBI has come to the conclusion that there were no major shortcomings in these issues.The sources said investigations revealed that schedule of payments was never changed in favour of SIS Live by the Prasar Bharti. The CBI alleged in its FIR that a number of conditions were relaxed in favour of the UK-based company SIS Live,including a provision pertaining to sub-contracting to Zoom Communications.

On allegations that the draft contract was altered to favour SIS Live which allowed assignment of contract to Zoom Communication,the CBI has concluded that final contract was settled by Solicitor General and approved by oversight committee headed by Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

CBI sources said even if it is assumed that the contract was in favour of SIS Live,it was a collective administrative decision that was taken after due diligence.

The CBI probed whether the decision of Doordarshan not to cover 10 of the 17 Commonwealth Games events through in house production was malafide. The agency had said Doordarshan initially decided to cover the 10 events but later cut them down to three which was allegedly done to favour the private contractor. CBI claimed that the allegation could also not be substantiated as the probe has revealed that in-house production of 10 events by public broadcaster Doordarshan was only a wish and not a firm decision.