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. |