CWG scam: Only OC officials being targeted, says Kalmadi
By ANIThursday, February 24, 2011
RANCHI/NEW DELHI - Former Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee (OC) Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, who is heading towards bigger trouble with the arrest of two of his close aides, on Thursday, accused investigating agencies of targeting only Organising Committee officials.
“Everybody has said that the secular conduct of the games was superb. All the documents (concerning the gathering of the material) have been given to the CBI. It is unfortunate that only the officers of the Organising Committee are being questioned,” Kalmadi told a press conference.
“The additions have been made by various other bodies which had senior government officers. All decisions s have been taken with consent of everybody. I’m surprised that only OC is being questioned, no government officers questioned. No construction cost was a part of the Organising Committee’s workings,” he added.
Kalmadi, who is also the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President, reiterating his demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) said: “Ministry of Youth Affairs Sports has been a part of all the decisions. It is a well-balanced collection of various agencies and all decisions were unanimous.”
“Why only the OC is being singled out? My request for a Joint Parliamentary Committee is still on so we can settle all matters. Right now the perception is that OC did all wrong, none of the decisions were my own,” he added.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Kalmadi’s key aides Lalit Bhanot and VK Verma on Wednesday in connection with alleged irregularities related to the event.
The arrest of the two took place after both were questioned about the Rs 107 crore contract that was awarded to a Swiss time-keeping company.
Bhanot, the former Organizing Committee Secretary General was booked under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with the Switzerland-based firm Swiss Timing Ltd and other unknown persons.
The CBI is also probing alleged irregularities in the hiring of Swiss firm Event Knowledge Services (EKS) as CWG’s technical consultant.he document is expected to help the CBI establish the alleged role of Kalmadi and Bhanot in connection with scams surrounding the 2010 sporting extravaganza.
The original tender document, which comprised several files, was missing for over three months, since the CBI began its investigation. It has now been recovered. (ANI)
