ED files charge sheet against Singapore-based firm:CWG

The Enforcement Directorate has for the first time filed a charge sheet against a Singapore- based firm for alleged foreign exchange violations worth Rs 185 crore in the last year's Commonwealth Games.

The ED has filed the complaint (equivalent to a charge sheet) against the firm -- Pico Event Marketing Private Limited -- for allegedly contravening foreign exchange rules for undertaking overlays works during the Games.

The Singapore-based firm will soon be issued notices to explain their case to the adjudicating authority of the ED, who is probing a host of transactions and events related to the Games for alleged charges of money laundering and forex violations. "The complaint has been registered under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and there is a provision of 300% penalties, if the charges are upheld by the adjudicating authority who is a senior officer of the ED," sources said.

The firm earlier had a tie-up with an Indian company 'Deepali', run by a relative of BJP leader Sudhanshu Mittal, for Games-related works but it was terminated subsequently. The premises of 'Pico-Deepali' consortium were also searched by the I-T department early this year during their probe related to the Games.

The ED, during its probe in this case, has found that requisite permission from the RBI for routing of funds and making huge transactions abroad were not taken. The probe in the financial dealings of other Games- related works are still under the agency's probe. The ED has earlier questioned sacked CWG Chairman Suresh Kalmadi and other Organising Committee officials during its probe.