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Delhi Games chief defiant after police raids

NEW DELHI, Dec 25 (AFP) - The organiser of the Delhi Commonwealth Games, Suresh Kalmadi, protested his innocence Friday after police raided his homes as part of a probe into graft allegations surrounding the event. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches at Kalmadi's residences in the capital and the western town of Pune, and at the home of his personal secretary Manoj Bhore.

The Games, which were held in Delhi in October, were hit by claims of massive financial irregularities as the budget ballooned to an estimated six billion dollars. After police completed their search, a defiant Kalmadi addressed reporters camped outside his Delhi home, saying: "I am ready for any investigation on any issue." "I am not running away," he said. "I am innocent till proven guilty."

The CBI spokesperson said a top police official had written to the government earlier this month requesting Kalmadi's removal from the chairmanship of the Games organising committee on the grounds that he was obstructing the investigation.

Kalmadi, who has not yet been formally charged, denied the claims, telling reporters he intended to cooperate fully with the investigation.

"I never took any decisions alone," he said, rattling off a list of committees that were involved in the organisation of the Games.

The CBI raided the homes of other top committee officials in November and arrested its sacked treasurer, M. Jayachandran, the third official to be accused of forgery and cheating over the awarding of Games-related contracts.

Police have charged two other former Games officials with alleged corruption. Companies contracted to provide sports surfaces, training equipment and landscaping for the Games were also raided by tax inspectors in October. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) national watchdog has received complaints alleging up to 1.8 billion dollars of Games money was misappropriated.

A CVC report into the Games has confirmed the use of poor-quality materials and massive cost overruns on construction projects. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set up a panel after the Games concluded to investigate graft claims and two other government bodies are also running separate probes.

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