New Delhi, January 17: In connection to the serious graft charges levelled against the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Central Bureau of Investigation raided the sports' administrators' office on Thursday. A total of six people were arrested after the agency seized incrementing evidence. Among those taken into custody include SAI Director S K Sharma.

Among others arrested by the probe agency, include Junior Accounts Officer Harinder Prasad, Supervisor Lalit Jolly and UDC V K Sharma, private contractor Mandeep Ahuja and his employee Yunus, the officials said.

It is alleged that bills of Rs 19 lakh were pending to be cleared by the SAI officials for which a demand of three per cent was being made.

The CBI officials reached the SAI headquarters at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium around 5 pm and sealed the entire premises, sources in the SAI said.

The search operation is still underway. The sources further said that the raid happened after SAI Director General Neelam Kapur took up the matter with the CBI.

''The matter came to light before SAI DG 6 months back after which she informed the sports minister. On the insistence of the minister the DG wrote to the CBI,'' the source said.

The accused staff was responsible for procuring all office stationeries and were dealing with tenders of all electronic equipment and furniture required for SAI offices. The irregularities were going on in SAI for more than a year, the source said.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 17, 2019 11:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).