Malhotra, Anand in war of words over Kalmadi suspension

New Delhi: There seems no end to the infighting in the IOA with Acting-President V K Malhotra and senior functionary R K Anand today trading charges on whether the former was aware of the suspension order against Suresh Kalmadi by the disbanded Ethics Committee.

The war of words between the two started when Anand claimed that Malhotra was in the know of the showcause issued to the then jailed Kalmadi by the disbanded Ethics Commission in December, little over a week before it was disbanded by the IOA General Body. Malhotra said Anand`s claim was malicious insisting that," In the General Body meeting of the IOA held on December 16, 2011, it was decided to revamp and reconstitute all the committees and commissions (including the Ethics committee and Court of Arbitration Commission)." "Mr Anand was very much present in the meeting, why did he not raise this issue then and there?", Malhotra said in a statement. Malhotra said Anand should have brought this up during the General Body meeting on December 16. "What prevented Mr Anand to tell the house about the report of the Ethics commission, which he is flaunting now? Why he maintained silence on this issue which he is raking up now?," he asked. "I emphatically deny any knowledge about the report of this disbanded commission," he said. Anand`s response was prompt enough and the senior lawyer said Malhotra simply does not have the right to continue in office after Kalmadi was released on bail. He accused Malhotra of trying to shield Kalmadi, who was the IOA head when he was arrested for corruption in the organisation of the Commonwealth Games, by keeping the order against him under wraps. "...you cannot be the IOA acting President after Mr Kalmadi is out on bail. The moment he is out on bail, you cease to be the acting President of IOA," Anand said in a letter to Malhotra. "All the allegations made by you are false and mischievious and are hereby denied. None of the points made by me are answered by you. You forwarded the complaint against Mr Kalmadi to me which I sent to the Chairman Ethics Commission officially through the office of IOA," he added. "After the passing of order you were communicated of the same. It is at your instance the same was not dispatched. Even otherwise all were inside jail and they could be communicated only after they are out. You were apprehensive of certain people who could make trouble in the AGM," he claimed. "That is the reason you did not allow the dispatch of notice. You are the only beneficiary of suspension of Mr Kalmadi. At least, I don`t stand to gain anything by the suspension of Mr Kalmadi." Anand asked if Malhotra did not know about the notice then why was the Ethics Committee disbanded. "If you had no knowledge of the order than what was the need to disband the commission? What was the need to obtain letter from Mr Kalmadi from jail?" he asked. On Malhotra`s contention that the new Ethics Committee`s rules were yet to be finalised, Anand said this process is completed before the panel is constituted. "Regarding rules, you should know that rules are made first and than the appointment to the Commission are made. Rules are on the website and you wanted rules to be taken off from there in order to help Mr Kalmadi," Anand claimed. "...I am surprised as to why you are having the feeling of guilty conscious. Say openly that you are trying to protect Mr Kalmadi after he has come out of jail. It`s quite obvious that you are not intersted in taking any action against Mr Kalmadi and in fact hand in glove with him," he alleged. "I sent you the letter to which you haven`t replied so far. There is enough evidence which makes it very clear that you were aware and in fact disclosed the same to number of IOA offcials," he added. Malhotra, on his part, said the IOA has kept the International Olympic Committee (IOC) informed about the developments and Anand "need not give us threat on this issue". PTI