Kalmadi sacked from CWG Organising Committee,
says ready for probe
Monday January 24, 2011 07:56:06 PM,
IANS
|
New Delhi/Ranchi: The
government Monday sacked Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC)
chairman Suresh Kalmadi and secretary-general Lalit Bhanot
following concerns by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI)
that they were hindering the "impartial investigation" into the
allegations of financial irregularities in holding the sporting
event last year.
In Ranchi, a defiant Kalmadi said he is ready for any probe and
would continue being the president of the Indian Olympic
Association (IOA).
Sports Minister Ajay Maken, who assumed charge of the ministry
last week, said Jarnail Singh, CEO of the organising committee,
would take charge of the OC.
"The government has decided today to remove Kalmadi ... and Bhanot
... with immediate effect," Maken said in a statement.
"The move comes in light of the ongoing investigation by the CBI
over allegations of corruption and irregularities in organisation
and conduct of the Commonwealth Games and the concerns expressed
by the CBI and in the interest of impartial and unhindered
investigations," he added.
"Kalmadi has been directed to hand over charge to Jarnail Singh,
who is also a member of the executive board of the organising
committee," he said.
The move comes three months after the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games,
clouded by serious allegations of corruption. The long-awaited
decision comes while the CBI is conducting an inquiry into the
Games organisation.
"The CBI had asked the government to take action against him and
CBI had said that they (Kalmadi and aides) are intimidating the
witnesses and are interfering in the investigation. Following
CBI's request of taking action against Suresh Kalmadi, we sought
legal opinion and today in the morning we have got legal opinion
from the attorney general and as soon as we got that we took this
step," said Maken.
Kalmadi refused to comment on his sacking, but said he is
cooperating with the investigating agencies.
"I have no idea about the removal. I am ready to face any probe
and I am cooperating with the investigating agencies," said
Kalmadi, who was here to take a stock of the 34th National Games
scheduled from February 12.
Asked if he would continue as the IOA president, Kalmadi said:
"The IOA is an autonomous body and I am not quitting as the
president."
The CBI is probing irregularities in the award of contracts during
the Queen's Baton Relay ceremony in London in October 2009 as also
wrongdoing in awarding a contract of Rs.107 crore for procuring
timing equipment for the athletics event of the Games. The CBI has
already grilled and raided the properties of both Kalmadi and
Bhanot.
Investigations are also being held into overlays contract, A.M.
films deal and the purchase of the aerostat - one of the main
attractions of the mega sporting event.
The CBI has so far filed three complaints of alleged
irregularities in the CWG preparations. Two FIRs are about the
contract to AM Films, a firm in London, for the Queen's Baton
Relay function. The third is related to Rs.107 crore spent on
overlays at the CWG Village and other Games venues.
|
Home |
Top of the Page |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top
Stories |
Behind the veil, on their own terms
Eighteen-year-old Safiya Rahatullah
is old for Class 9, but she doesn’t mind. She is glad she spent
four years memorising the Quran; she even leads namaz these days
»
Jamia Mohammadia:
Islamic and Modern studies rule here with equal power
Mansoora
students shine at Islamic University of Madinah in KSA |
|
Picture of the Day |
 |
Accepting the call given by more than
40 NGOs, thousands of people thronged the Azad Maidan in Mumbai on
January 20 demanding release of the Muslim youths arrested
in the blast cases. |
|
|
Most
Read |
Thousands bid tearful adieu to
Bhimsen Joshi
A sad nation and music lovers from all walks of life bade a
tearful farewell to Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, whose
mortal remains
»
Bhimsen Joshi:
Legend, music maestro and lover of fast cars too |
Research for Congo virus antidote
on: Health expert
Further
research needs to be done to come up with an antidote to the
Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) that has claimed at least
three lives in Gujarat, a senior health official has said. "We
have suggested some strong anti-viral drugs to counter the
symptoms, but more
»
|
|
News Pick |
Kamal Nath summoned by US court in
1984 Sikh riots case
Indian Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath
has been summoned by a New York court for a pre-trial conference Feb 9
for his alleged
» |
Govt may extend help to youths arrested
''wrongly'' for terror
In an attempt to soothe frayed nerves, the
government may extend help for rehabilitation of the Muslim youths
who were "arrested wrongly" in various terror acts in which
involvement of right-wing activists is now strongly suspected.
» |
'1.72 million children die before
age one in India'
A "savage preference for males" leads to the killing
of 7 lakh girls by their parents in the mother's womb each year in
India, according to a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
member.
NHRC member Satyabrata Pal also
»
|
Problems in NRI voting rights being
worked out: Vayalar Ravi
Practical problems are being worked
out to enroll non-residents Indians (NRIs), specially in the Middle
East, on the electoral rolls, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs
Vayalar Ravi said here Sunday. "Look, there are
» |
Japan protests BBC jokes about atomic bomb
survivor
The BBC has been caught in a
diplomatic row after Japan protested about a comedy quiz show of
the broadcaster which has been accused of insulting a survivor of
the two atomic bomb strikes on the country during
»
|
|
|
|