Won`t take corruption responsibility: Kalmadi

Coming out in his defence for the first time after the sleaze in the CWG OC came to the fore, Kalmadi said that there was no question of quitting.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: Coming out in his defence for the first time after the sleaze in the Commonwealth Games organizing committee came to the fore, OC chief Suresh Kalmadi said that there was not question of quitting as he had done nothing wrong. Talking to a news channel, Kalmadi sought to clear his stand on the AM Films controversy, saying that Sanjay Mohindroo and Darbari were entrusted with the task of handling the QBR ceremony last year and that he knew nothing about the authenticity of any e-mail exchange that took place between Mohindroo and Ashish Patel.A furore had erupted after reports emerged of alleged discrepancies in the awarding of contracts for acquiring various services for the games and inflating the prices of essential commodities. News channel reports had shown how Sanjay Mohindroo, a member of the organizing committee had sent a mail to Ashish Patel, owner of AM Films, the provider of services during last year’s Queen’s Baton Relay ceremony, asking him to quote a whopping amount of 450 pounds for each cab. Such cabs are otherwise available for not more than 150 pounds per day. Organising Committee`s Joint Director General T S Darbari, who oversaw the QBR`s London leg, was suspended after the furore and the IOA chief said there is a possibility that he was misled by his close aide. "I asked Darbari to show me the e-mails and he showed me those e-mails. It could be that I was misled. I am not a technocrat to know if they were genuine. The (probe) committee will look into all this and tell," he said. "The Ministry gave me a different e-mail. I said I am not a technological expert. They didn`t mention doctored or forged. They just said one line is different. Whether they were forged, we would know only after the inquiry," Kalmadi said. Kalmadi, nonetheless, defended Darbari insisting that the tainted official had worked well while in office. "Darbari has a lot of business to take care of but he has done his job. He is an efficient officer. He has been very helpful," he said. "I trust all my officials. I have got 2,000 people working for me and I trust all of them. It was a tough decision to suspend," he said. On why Darbari was kept on board in OC despite a tainted past, including a customs case, Kalmadi said he was sent on leave when the case initially came out but was taken back after he gave in writing that he was merely a witness in the matter. "He was not suspended, he went on leave. He went for the inquiry and came back with a letter saying that he was called as a witness and nothing more than that. So he was taken back," he reasoned. But Kalmadi said he would not protect Darbari him if he is found guilty in the QBR financial irregularities case. "If I see some financial irregularities, I am not going to protect one person. There is no letter which states that Darbari is a culprit in that (customs case). There is an inquiry going on and the moment the inquiry is over, I will tell you," he said. Asked persistently why he was not taking the moral responsibility for the corruption charges, inclduing the ones levelled in a Central Vigilance Commission report, Kalmadi reckoned he could not be expected to own up for mistakes committed by others. "I have 2000 people working under me, I don`t see all the papers. Matters go to the Executive Board, where four officers from the government sit. Every single paisa has been passed by such committees," he explained. "If I am involved then I would see. Once the Games are over CWGOC would be disbanded anyway so no question of me stepping aside," he said. Later in the evening at a press briefing where he unveiled medals, Kalmadi said he would not quit. All India tennis Association chief Anil Khanna stepped down from the post of OC treasurer after his name cropped up in a controversy over the contracts awarded to a company in which his son is an employee. Asked if he was willing to take such moral responsibility and step aside, Kalmadi said, "Anil Khanna can afford to resign but I as chairman of CWGOC cannot. These Games are my baby, I have made promises to the Commonwealth Games Federation. I would have a tough time explaining to them that the Games are in trouble when I step down." "I have got 34 functional areas to look after which is a mammoth task," he added.He said his first priority was to make a success of the Games and "will not run away from responsibility" but would quit after the event if anything was found against him. "If my leaders and IOA don`t want me there, then I am ready to quit. If there is something so big that I have done wrong. But I tell you there is no wrong. Let the inquiry report come out. There is nothing to be ashamed of," Kalmadi said. He was asked if he would step down now in the wake of a spate of allegations of corruption in giving contracts and Kalmadi said instead of stepping aside, he would take action against those who are found guilty. "If some action is (found to be) wrong, then definitely I will not spare anyone who is responsible for it...There is no charge against me, it is against somebody else," he said.