Kalmadi says ready for probe as more scandals surface

New Delhi: Rattled by increasing allegations of corruption in the Commonwealth Games and isolated within

his own party, under-fire OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Wednesday said that he is ready to face any probe into financial transactions even as fresh scandals hit the mega-event. Even as the three-member probe panel continued its investigations into the allegations, the Organising Committee found itself on a sticky wicket as it came to light that one of its key officials had asked the UK-based company to inflate the taxi hiring rates. Televisions channels produced an email purportedly written by Dr Sanjay Mohindroo, OC`s Deputy Director General who has now resigned, asking Ashish Patel, the owner of AM Films which is at the centre of controversy, to inflate the taxi hire rates. Patel, has however denied any wrongdoings. The day unfolded with Kalmadi willing to face a CAG or judical probe while the OC called a press conference later in the day to vehemently deny any irregularities in procuring overlays for the stadiums. "I, as Chairman of the Organising Committee, am prepared to face any scrutiny by (Comptroller and Auditor General) CAG or even a judicial probe for all financial transactions being reported by the media. All the people found guilty will be punished and brought to book," Kalmadi said in a statement. Kalmadi`s statement came a day after more allegations of irregularities and the Indian High Commission`s e-mails being `doctored` came to light. The Congress party also distanced itself from Pune MP. Kalmadi reiterated that the all transactions were carried out by the full approval of the OC`s various finance committee and he did not have any individual say on these matters. "The financial procedures at the Organising Committee are well laid down and transparent. Any proposal that is prepared by the Functional Area Head first gets vetted by the OC Finance Committee which has two representatives of Government of India, and after that it is referred to Finance Sub-Committee, comprising of three Senior representatives of Government of India," he explained. "Thereafter, the proposals are submitted to the Executive Board for its final approval. Chairman OC, in his individual capacity, does not have any financial powers," he added. Kalmadi said, nonetheless, he has taken note of the various reported bunglings. "I have taken a serious note of these reports and appointed a three member committee headed by Mr. Jarnail Singh, the Chief Executive Officer and two members, Mr. G. C. Chaturvedi, Special Director General and Ms. Gurjot Kaur Chief Vigilance Officer of Organising Committee to look into all the details of QBR Launch Function, Overlays and SMAM issues. The Committee has been asked to submit its report by August 5, 2010," the statement read. Mohindroo`s purported email to Patel brought more embarassement for OC, just a day before its Executive Board meets for an emergency meeting. As per the e-mail, Mohindroo had asked Patel to fix the hire rates at 450 pounds per day, an amount which was said to be 300 pounds more than the usual rate. The unsavoury develoments in India has left the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) very concerned. "Federation is really concerned about the allegations and the matter needs very urgent and immediate attention by the Indian authorities. The allegations have led to such level of corruption that has breached all the rules of how you procure and how you handle the matter," CGF President Mike Fennell said. "That`s why we need to resolve this speedily. We can`t allow it to hang over the Games and affect the organisation of the Games therefore such allegations neds to be handled speedily and with full transperancy," he added. Political parties continued to mount pressure on the government on the Commonwealth Games fiasco, asking for a full-fledged probe into the alleged scandals. BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said OC`s three-member panel was an "eye wash" the Sports Ministry and the Delhi Government were equally responsible for the scams. He wanted the prime Minister to make a statement in Parliament. With controversy deepening, Congress party also virtually backtracked from its remarks giving a clean chit to two Union Ministers and the Delhi Chief Minister and distancing itself from IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi. "We have neither given any clean chit nor any unclean chit to anybody. We are neither holding any brief for anybody nor indicting anybody," party spokesperson Manish Tewari said. Tewari`s comments were significant as they were at variance with those of his colleague Shakeel Ahmed, who had told the party briefing yesterday that the integrity of two Union ministers M S Gill and S Jaipal Reddy, who are looking after Games-related works, is "beyond any doubt" while Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit "is also of very impeccable integrity". He had also said Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi is not there as a party representative but as the Chairman of the Indian Olympic Association. "Serious charges have been levelled against the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee....As the Chairman, he will reply to them," Ahmed had said. Meanwhile, the Australian company, which was hired to raise sponsorship for the Games, said it would "forego" commission from the contribution made by Indian PSUs and denied getting any payment for its services so far. According to reports, Melbourne-based Sports Marketing and Management`s (SMAM) contract with the OC is under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate for payments worth millions of dollars but the company said the reports were "baseless and unfounded". PTI