M A I N   N E W S

8-day CBI custody for Kalmadi
Sandeep Yadav/TNS

Earlier, challenging the CBI’s arrest, defence counsel argued that Kalmadi’s arrest and detention was illegal since all the decisions with regards to the CWG was taken in confidence with the Sports Ministry. The defence also alleged that Kalmadi was arrested around 11 am yesterday and he was being produced in the court after the passage of mandatory 24 hours. However, all these arguments did not impress the court. Kalmadi was heaped another humiliation while entering the Patiala House Court Complex when one Manoj Sharma hurled a slipper at him. According to Delhi police, the slipper did not hit Kalmadi and Sharma was immediately caught by the policemen escorting Kalmadi to the court. “Sharma claims to be a former lawyer from Gwalior who was debarred by the bar counsel after he attacked a magistrate. He claims to be working towards uprooting corruption from public life. We have detained him and are questioning him,” said a police official, adding that his antecedents were being verified.

Kalmadi got food, bedding from home

Suresh Kalmadi’s first night in CBI custody was not as uncomfortable as one is likely to believe it is while in police custody. Kept on the second floor of newly built swanky centrally airconditioned CBI headquarters in Lodhi Complex area of South Delhi, Kalmadi was permitted home-cooked food and a bedding. According to a CBI official, Kalmadi had requested a mattress and a blanket from home which was allowed. “His wife came with food and bedding around 8 pm last night. Such facilities are often accorded to an arrestee until he is proved guilty and should not be seen as a special favour to someone,” said the official adding that 66-year-old Kalmadi also demanded medicines which were provided to him.

An early riser, Kalmadi is known to have woken up around 5 am and was provided with two newspapers which he had requested. Dressed in clean cream coloured trousers and white shirt, Kalmadi left for the court escorted by 5 CBI officials around 12 pm and returned exactly at 4.30 pm. 

Booted out of IOA

New Delhi, April 26
A day after his arrest on corruption charges, Suresh Kalmadi’s 15-year tenure as the IOA president came to an abrupt end after he was sacked from the post and veteran sports administrator VK Malhotra was “unanimously” named as the acting president.

The swift action to end Kalmadi’s reign was taken by the IOA officials in a meeting chaired by Malhotra himself, citing clause 13B of the constitution that empowers the vice-president to take interim charge in the absence of the president.

Malhotra said he would call a meeting of the IOA executive board at the earliest in consultation with secretary general Randhir Singh, who is out of town, and discuss the situation arising out of Kalmadi’s arrest.

“The IOA constitution is very clear. There cannot be vacuum and work of the IOA will have to continue. So I have accepted to work as the acting president of the IOA,” Malhotra told reporters after the meeting.

“I will call a meeting of the executive committee as soon as possible which is prescribed under the constitution. The secretary general (Randhir Singh) is returning to Delhi and after consulting him I will call a meeting of the executive board. We will discuss all the issues at length in the board meeting,” he said.

Kalmadi, former Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman, was on Monday arrested by the CBI for allegedly awarding a contract for the mega event to a Swiss company at an inflated rate of Rs 141 crore in a “pre-meditated” manner.

But, the haste shown in removing Kalmadi came as a surprise to many of the IOA office bearers, particularly when its secretary general was out of station.

It was not clear whether the meeting, where 15 members are said to have attended, has legal validity. The IOA officials, however, maintained that senior members were consulted over telephone before taking the decision to appoint Malhotra as acting president.

Vice-president Tarlochan Singh, who was also present at the meeting, said many of the members could not be present at the conclave because of the short notice but they had consulted them  over phone.

“Under Article 13B of the IOA constitution, the senior vice-president will chair all the meeting during the absence of the president. In case of the long absence of the president, the senior vice president will discharge all the responsibilities of the president. So we have decided to appoint Mr Malhotra as the acting president,” Tarlochan said. — PTI