Agencies
United Nations, Nov 2: The United Nations has announced that a procurement official was arrested on Wednesday on charges of steering more than $50 million in contracts to Indian firms in exchange for acquiring an apartment at below market rates.
Sanjay Bahel (55) had been chief of the UN commodity procurement section. He was suspended by the United Nations on August 31 while investigations were under way.
Indian businessman Nishan Kohli, managing partner of Thunderbird Industries LLC and an agent for the Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd was also arrested.
A UN spokesman said the world body handed over information to the prosecutors in the office of the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who unsealed an indictment on Wednesday. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan waived Bahel's immunity.