The Comptroller and Auditor General on Friday dragged the Prime Minister's Office in the Commonwealth Games mess by saying that Suresh Kalmadi, who is jail for alleged irregularities, was appointed as Organising Committee chief at its behest in 2004 despite "serious objections" from within government.
The high-level Shunglu committee has blamed the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee and certain officials for the delay in executing contracts for the games.In its recent report submitted to the Prime Minister's Office, the Committee is understood to have stated that there were indications of "collusive/partial bidding" and "manipulation of documents" in floating tenders. The Shunglu panel has also questioned 'delays' in executing a number of contracts, sources said.
Verma wins compound individual gold, opens tally for India.
This year's Padma awards took place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on Monday. Mohanlal Viswanathan, Prabhu Deva and Shankar Mahadevan have been conferred with honours. Take a look.
The controversial 3,000-pound "security bond" for some "high-risk" foreign visitors to the UK, including those from India, is to be scrapped, the Home Office has confirmed.
Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday sharpened its attack against Sports Minister Ajay Maken for allegedly misleading the Lok Sabha on appointment of Suresh Kalmadi as Commonwealth Games organising Committee head, saying the Comptroller and Auditor General report makes it clear that prime minister's office responsible for it.
In further embarrassment to Congress, the Comptroller and Auditor General is understood to have rapped the Sheila Dikshit government in Delhi for irregularities in certain contracts related to the Commonwealth Games.
This is the ninth case in connection with the alleged irregularities in the conduct of Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, which were held during October 3-14 last year.
All set for more public interactions even as PM has been critical of the apex auditor recently.
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday registered a money laundering case against suspended Prasar Bharti Chief Executive Officer B S Lalli in connection with the awarding of the Rs 246-crore broadcast rights contract for the Commonwealth Games.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has sought sanction of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to prosecute former Prasar Bharti CEO B S Lalli and Doordarshan Director General Aruna Sharma in connection with allegations of corruption in award of broadcasting rights of Commonwealth Games.
The ICICI board is looking to the retired petroleum secretary to provide 'maturity and sagacity'.
The incident took place on October three when President's Secretary Christy Fernandez tapped the Prime Minister on his shoulder and asked him to change his seat from the one earmarked under protocol for Dr Singh next to the President. Fernandez accommodated the President's husband Devi Singh Patil who sat actually on the seat earmarked for Pratibha Patil, which led to the seating arrangement going haywire.
An under-construction foot over-bridge on Tuesday collapsed near Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, the main venue of the Commonwealth Games, injuring four labourers. Fire department officials said the labourers were putting concrete mix at a portion of the bridge when the incident took place. Two labourers suffered minor injuries while two others with serious injuries were rushed to Safdurjung hospital.
India's men's singles players Arvind Bhat and RMV Gurusaidutt, on Wednesday, made the main draw of the Hong Kong Super Series after notching up contrasting wins in the qualifiers.
Commonwealth Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalamdi was on Wednesday questioned by the CBI in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the conduct of the sports event.
Public sector broadcaster Prasar Bharati has appointed Rajiv Takru, additional secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, as the chief executive officer. The move followed the recent suspension of B S Lalli against whom an inquiry has been ordered for alleged financial irregularities and providing undue favours to some broadcasters during the Commonwealth Games.
The CBI on Tuesday carried out searches at 20 premises of DDA and CPWD officers besides that of a private firm in connection with alleged irregularities in laying of synthetic turf for lawn bowl event during the Commonwealth Games.
Rejecting suggestions that the government has clipped his wings by appointing a committee of bureaucrats, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee's embattled Chairman Suresh Kalmadi insisted that he is still the boss and the panel was instituted on his request.
The ruling coalition won 125 seats in the 243-member state assembly against 110 clinched by the opposition Grand Alliance to pave the way for a fourth successive term for Kumar in office.
Indian Women's Hockey team leaves for Argentina tour.
Amid indications that the government might agree to a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe in the 2G spectrum scam, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said bunglings in Commonwealth Games projects and Mumbai's Adarsh Housing Society too should be brought under the panel's ambit.
In "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership", James Comey will "explore what good, ethical leadership looks like and how it drives sound decisions", according to Pan Macmillan, which has acquired the publishing rights in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth excluding Canada.
Commonwealth Games Federation chief Michael Fennell on Thursday apologised for a freak accident resulting in injuries to three Ugandan officials, including the team's Chef de Mission, at the Games Village in the early hours of Wednesday.
In a major relief for travellers from Asia and Africa, the UK has scrapped its controversial 3,000-pound "security bond" for some "high-risk" foreign visitors, including those from India.
Gilani has taken "serious notice of the unpleasant incident" involving the Pakistani contingent at the Games on Sunday, said a statement issued by his office.
Delhi Police chief Y S Dadwal has personally taken charge of the deployment of over 1 lakh personnel drawn from the city police, Central Reserve Police Force, Rashtriya Rifles and other paramilitary forces to ensure that all loopholes are plugged. =
Expressing disappointment over the delay in the handing over of the Games Village for the Commonwealth Games to security agencies, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has informed the Prime Minister's Office in an internal mail that the Home Ministry will not take responsibility for any untoward incident during the event, according to sources.
The sources said the CBI raids started early in the morning and are focussed on four companies, which had acted as the Indian arm for the same number of international firms. The contracts were bagged by consortium of foreign and Indian firms.
A Delhi court took serious note of the sensational claim by two undertrials that they were provided with a pistol and a knife allegedly by Tihar jail officials to kill two Commonwealth Games officials lodged in the high security prison on corruption charges.
Australian Olympic legend Dawn Fraser has urged international athletes to boycott the Delhi Commonwealth Games saying that the organisers may not be equipped to prevent a repeat of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre.
Recently declassified documents reveal that the Indian government wanted to invade the sacred precincts of the Golden Temple even if it hurt national interest, says senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley.
The day after the closing ceremony, the Prime Minister's Office had asked the OC to make sure all documents were kept safe.
The inaugural Indian Formula One Grand Prix on October 30 will face none of the ticketing fiascos that have blighted recent major sporting events in the country, the head of ticketing for the race told Reuters on Friday.
Pakistan-based Sikh militants, supported by the Inter Services Intelligence, might carry out bomb blasts in New Delhi before the Commonwealth Games, the Punjab police has alerted. An advisory circulated recently among all senior officers in the state by the intelligence department of the Punjab police has pointed out that Sikh militant leaders based in Pakistan are under 'tremendous pressure' from the ISI to carry out sabotage activities in India before the Games.
CBI on Monday registered two cases in connection with alleged irregularities during the Queen's Batons Relay in London and carried out searches at CWG Organising Committee's office and at residences of some of the Games' former officials.
Sacked top OC officials Lalit Bhanot and Suresh Kalmadi, who termed his removal as 'illegal and uncalled for', refused to follow the formalities of handing over charge to newly-appointed Commonwealth Games Organising Committee CEO Jarnail Singh who said he has taken over on his own.
Racing against time, the government formed a committee of senior bureaucrats to oversee the work at the Commonwealth Games venues virtually stripping Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi of his powers.
A total of over 75 Heads of State and Foreign Ministers will be meeting with Modi, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan during the week across various platforms.
Denying any role in the alleged money trail during the Queen's Baton Relay (QBR) launch in London last year, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) Director General VK Verma on Thursday held sacked officials T S Darbari and Sanjay Mohindroo responsible for all the deals at that time.
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