Rocked by corruption allegations, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee on Thursday cracked the whip on tainted officials by suspending three officials, including T S Darbari, a close aid of embattled chairman Suresh Kalmadi, and terminated a multi-crore contract with an Australian company. The decisions were taken by the OC's all-powerful Executive Board, which met in the wake of the corruption scandals that have engulfed the October 3-14 mega event.
An Australian company, which was hired to raise sponsorship for the Delhi Commonwealth Games, on Wednesday denied receiving any commission from the event's Organising Committee, claiming that it is yet to be paid for its services.
The Centre on Tuesday directed Suresh Kalmadi, convener of the Commonwealth Games, to relieve immediately T S Darbari and Dr Sanjay Mahindroo, senior officials holding high positions in the CWG Organising Committee, on alleged corruption charges.
Strongly refuting allegations of financial irregularities in the Commonwealth Games, Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi said that there was total transparency in all the deals and "every pie is accounted for".
The Delhi high court on Wednesday sought the Central Bureau of Investigation's response on the bail plea of sacked Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi in a Games-related scam case, who cited the Supreme Court ruling that bail should be the rule and jail an exception.
A refurbished R K Khanna Tennis Complex was formally handed over to Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Monday, at a ceremony attended by Union Minister of Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Unlike other stadia, upgradation of which is being undertaken by government agencies like the DDA and NDMC, the tennis venue was completed by the All India Tennis Association (AITA).
The sponsorship money in the bag is a tad over a quarter of what the organisers of the games had projected.
Former chairman of the Commonwealth Organising committee and Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi will soon be arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation for his role in the CWG scams.Kalmadi's close aide and former general secretary of CWG OC Lalit Bhanot is also facing imminent arrest. The Congress leader and his aides are being probed by the CBI for causing losses worth several crores to the government by favouring certain firms.
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.
The National Democratic Alliance on Monday gave separate privilege notices in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha against Sports Minister Ajay Maken's statement on the Commonwealth Games.
The Congress on Thursday made it clear that it has no intention of interfering in the ongoing investigations in the Commonwealth Games scam, even if the Central Bureau of Investigation wanted to question CWG Organising Committee Chairman and Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi."Our party's stance is clear; it will not interfere in any criminal investigations that is being conducted by the CBI or any other agency. The law will take its own course," said a Cong leader.
The CBI on Monday carried out searches at 11 premises, including residences of four aides of Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi, in connection with alleged irregularities in a Rs 107 crore contract for the Games result update system and registered cases against them.
The day after the closing ceremony, the Prime Minister's Office had asked the OC to make sure all documents were kept safe.
Widening its probe into alleged violations of the country's forex laws in the run up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Enforcement Directorate may now summon Secretary General of Organising Committee Lalit Bhanot.
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.
Under the scanner for alleged bungling to the tune of several crores of rupees, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee is now mired in litigation with several firms and its former employees seeking their dues.
A rightful share of the praise heaped on the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) for a spectacular inaugural function including the laser show should also go to West Bengal, for the much-required electricity for the Games is being supplied by the state.
People like Bhanot have uses; we just know how to spot the opportunities and use them. Since he knows the difference between the world's best sanitation habits and those in India, we should use him, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
In the eye of a storm over the shoddy state of the Commonwealth Games Village, Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi finally broke his silence on Thursday saying that the international chefs de mission are much "happier than before" with the state of affairs.
Several missed deadlines later, the venues of the Commonwealth Games are now completely ready, said organising committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, claiming that the preparedness is such that events can now be held at the stadiums on an hour's notice.
Indian Olympic Association vice-president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the idea to let the spectators use vuvuzela during the Commonwealth Games will "disturb" athletes and prove "counter-productive".
Oscar winning music composer A R Rahman on Saturday launched the theme song of the Commonwealth Games with a rendering of "Oh yaaro, yeh India bula liya" at a glittering ceremony in Gurgaon.
For a man, who used to make everything a showbiz, his birthday this year was an occasion that was probably only known to CBI sleuths around him. He is also believed to have spent some time with a few family members.
Initially the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee had considered giving the whole catering contract to Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation as cost-cutting measure but the proposal could not materialize as IRCTC made inordinate delays in responding, the OC said on Saturday.
Satisfied with the preparation of Commonwealth Games venues, Organising Committee vice-chairman Randhir Singh on Monday said all the stadiums are in "top-class shape" and will be ready by August 25.
Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Monday said the Indian Olympic Association would be asked to elect a new president in case incumbent Suresh Kalmadi is arrested by the CBI and threatened intervention by the Ministry if the IOA fails to act.
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.
Sacked Chairman of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi is likely to be questioned by CBI on Wednesday in connection with Queen's Baton Relay scam after the agency received fresh papers from the UK.
Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalamadi came under pressure from within the Congress over his continuance in the post in the wake of corruption allegations.
Acting on the persistent plea of the Sports Ministry, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee on Monday terminated the services of its tainted Joint Director General T S Darbari in the wake of the corruption scandal that has rocked the event.
Armed with new details gathered by its team in London in connection with THE Queen's Baton Relay, the CBI has asked former Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi to appear before it next week.
Mike Fennell, the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), has expressed satisfaction with the Indian government's assurances of support to ensure a successful holding of the event.
Former Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi's name is not mentioned in the Games legacy report prepared by authorities here to give a bird's eye view of delays, successes and other issues in the conduct of the sporting extravaganza.
The Central Bureau of Investigation's probe into the Commonwealth Games scam on Wednesday came under the scanner, with a Delhi court asking it why the agency has not arrested the officials of the Organising Committee, who allegedly accepted huge bribes for awarding contracts at exorbitant rates."Why are you not arresting the receivers of the bribe amount," Special CBI Judge O P Saini said.
Swimming sensation Virdhawal Khade will be the flag bearer of the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Youth Games.
Former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor is back in the news over payment of money by the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games for consultancy services.
Former Commonwealth Games organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi's close aide Shekhar Deorukhkar was on Saturday remanded by a court here to five days of CBI custody in a multi-crore rupee overlays scam in connection with last year's mega sporting event.
The embattled organising committee of the Delhi Commonwealth Games on Tuesday claimed that it has cleared dues, amounting to Rs 111.84 crore, to 36 of the 45 foreign companies involved with the conduct of the event held last year.
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.
Embattled Suresh Kalmadi hit back at the Sports Minister, terming his sacking from the chairmanship of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee as "illegal and uncalled for."
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