The mega sports complex that was built for the 34th National Games in Hotwar, Ranchi; and National Games Organising Committee’s organising secretary SM Hashmi (below right) and former sports director PC Mishra undergo medical check-ups at sadar hospital after their arrests in Ranchi on Tuesday. Pictures by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, Oct. 14: Two top officials in charge of organising the 34th National Games in Jharkhand in February 2011 were arrested this evening by Vigilance Bureau sleuths for having allegedly milked Rs 50 crore of public money from the state’s biggest sporting extravaganza so far.

The home-grown equivalent of the 2010 Commonwealth Games scam involving organising committee chairperson Suresh Kalmadi, Vigilance Bureau arrested National Games Organising Committee (NGOC) organising secretary S.M. Hashmi and former sports director and Indian Forest Service officer P.C. Mishra for financial irregularities and embezzlement of funds.

Vigilance sleuths summoned both Hashmi and Mishra to its Audrey House office for questioning this evening. The duo were arrested after 5pm and later taken to sadar hospital for mandatory medical check-ups.

Sources said NGOC treasurer Madhukant Pathak was also called for questioning but let off after he pleaded before investigators that he had nothing to do with the scam and that payments were made only on the orders of higher ups.

Confirming the arrests, vigilance additional director-general (ADG) Niraj Kumar Sinha told The Telegraph that there was enough proof of both being guilty of financial irregularities in the run-up to the Games.

Conservative estimates suggest the state spent over Rs 700 crore for the National Games, which included the multi-disciplinary sporting infrastructure in Hotwar.

The Rs 50-crore skulduggery was allegedly orchestrated by the Games mandarins way before the event formally started on February 12, 2011.

“There are two charges against Hashmi and Mishra. One, of making advance payments to a company to the tune of several crores for organising the inaugural ceremony and then allowing it to forfeit the money in dubious circumstances.

Secondly, purchasing sports equipment worth crores in violation of norms, far more than required and inflating payments,” vigilance ADG Sinha added.

The accused have been charged under Sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 109 (abetment), 420 (cheating), 406 (breach of trust), 467, 468 and 471 (all forgery), of the IPC and Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Under Section 13(2) of PCA, any public servant who commits criminal misconduct can be jailed for a term ranging from a year to seven years.

Section 13(1)(d) of the same Act is applicable if a public servant obtains for himself or any other person any valuable thing or pecuniary advantage by corrupt or illegal means or by abusing his position.

The case has dragged its feet for years.

Way back in October 2010, the vigilance had lodged FIRs against NGOC working chairman R.K. Anand, Hashmi, Pathak and Mishra, besides few others for misuse of official position and embezzlement of public funds for purchase of equipment and construction of infrastructure for the Games.

The FIRs were filed following a complaint lodged by Bhola Nath Singh, then president of state wrestling federation and currently president of Jharkhand Hockey, with Vigilance Bureau on September 27, 2009.

Singh alleged that rules had been routinely flouted to purchase sports equipment and advances given to parties without bank guarantees. His complaint led to Mishra’s ouster from the post of sports director by then governor K. Sankaranarayanan in October 2009.

Vigilance started raids at homes and offices of the accused in December 2010.

PROBE TIMELINE

2009

● Sept. 27: Hockey Jharkhand president (former Jharkhand Wrestling Federation president) Bhola Nath Singh lodges complaint with Vigilance Bureau, alleging flouting of norms in purchase of equipment

● Oct: Former governor K. Sankaranarayanan removes sports director and IFS officer P.C. Mishra, transfers him to health department as special secretary

2010

● Oct. 6: Vigilance lodges FIRs under Prevention of Corruption Act against NGOC working chairman R.K. Anand, organising secretary S.M. Hashmi, treasurer Madhukant Pathak, P.C. Mishra and others

● Dec. 16: Vigilance raids residences of Mishra, others

2011

● Mar. 15-16: 2-day marathon raids at Games offices

● Mar. 22-23: Vigilance questions Hashmi, others

● May 10: R.K. Anand grilled by vigilance

● Aug. 25: Vigilance arrests suppliers Kaushal Kishore Singh, Jitendra Singh for allegedly trying to fix probe

2014

● Oct. 14: Hashmi, P.C. Mishra arrested