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Kalmadi ready to face probe
MS Unnikrishnan/TNS

New Delhi, August 4
Hemmed in from all sides with a slew of allegations, Suresh Kalmadi, Organising Committee chairman of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, said here today that he was prepared to face any scrutiny by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) or even a judicial probe “for all financial transactions being reported by the media”. He said he did not have any financial powers in his individual capacity, but asserted “all those found guilty will be brought to book”.

Kalmadi said the financial procedures at the Organising Committee were well laid down and transparent. “Any proposal prepared by the functional area head first gets vetted by the OC finance committee, which has two representatives of the Government of India, and after that it is referred to the finance sub-committee, comprising three senior representatives of the government. Thereafter, the proposals are submitted to the executive board for its final approval. The chairman, OC, in his individual capacity, does not have any financial powers.”

He said he had taken “serious note” of the many (negative) reports appearing in the media and had constituted a three-member committee, headed by chief executive officer Jarnail Singh, and comprising special director-general GC Chaturvedi and chief vigilance officer of the OC Gurjot Kaur to look into all details of the Queen’s Baton Relay launch function in London, overlays and other aspects and submit their report by tomorrow.He said during the last week, the media had come out with various stories regarding the irregularities committed in the orders/procurement etc for the QBR launch in London, overlays and association of sports marketing and management (SMAM) in obtaining sponsorship for the games and hence he decided to order a probe to get at the truth. He said many controversies had cropped up at the most inopportune time with 60 days left for the start of the games, and just 43 days for the opening of the Games Village, where 8,000 athletes and officials form all continents would start arriving to participate in the games.

Meanwhile, Kalmadi has called an emergency meeting of the executive board of the OC tomorrow to discuss the allegations of corruption, following a letter written by OC vice-chairman Randhir Singh, treasurer Anil Khanna and Archery Association of India president Vijay Kumar Malhotra, demanding discussion on the “grave irregularities” reported in the media.

In yet another blow to the Organising Committee, public sector major National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has demanded an assurance on the memorandum of understanding signed by it with the committee that its “money is not misused in paying commission”.

Earlier, the Railways said it would withhold its contribution of Rs 100 crore till the committee gave a written assurance that no amount of its sponsorship donation would go to any outside agency as commission. The Railways was forced to take this step after the committee refused to give details of the shareholding pattern of the Singapore subsidiary of the Melbourne-based Sports Marketing and Management (SMAM).

Meanwhile, the Organising Committee received a shot in the arm from the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) that allayed fears of not holding Games in Delhi. NZOC secretary-general Barry Maister is reported to have said that he was “not concerned with all the negative talk” as he had still “high hopes about Delhi being a unique host”.