By IANS
New York : Former Indian UN official Sanjay Bahel has been convicted for steering tens of millions of dollars in contracts to an Indian businessman in exchange for cash, a luxury Manhattan apartment and other bribes.
The New York Southern court has convicted Bahel, a procurement official, on six counts of fraud and conspiracy.
US attorney Michael J. Garcia said Bahel may face a prison term of up to 35 years. He is the 14th person to be convicted by federal investigators since they launched a probe into UN corruption linked to the $64 billion oil-for-food programme, Washington Post reported.
Bahel, from the Indian Defence Auditing Services, was on deputation to the UN. He was suspended from the world body on charges that he bent rules to help Telecommunications Consultations of India Ltd (TCIL), represented by Indian businessman Nishan Kohli, get contracts worth million of dollars.
An inquiry last year revealed that Bahel got contracts worth $100 million during his posting as chief of commodity procurement for the world body between 1998 and 2003 for TCIL.
In December last year, Kohli, 30, had admitted making illegal payments to Bahel.
Bahel allegedly provided Kohli "exceptional access" to inside information on pending UN contracts and acted as a vocal advocate for the companies he represented.
Kohli, in turn, rewarded Bahel for his support by renting him a luxury apartment at a steep discount and later sold it to him for well below its market value.