Procedures were transparent: CWG Organising Committee
So how does someone explain toilet rolls for nearly Rs. 4000 or air conditioners for Rs. 4 lakh or treadmills for Rs. 9 lakh? Well the Commonwealth Organising Committee (OC) tried to explain on Wednesday.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief and Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CWGOC) Suresh Kalmadi has clarified that he's not quitting, atleast not before the Games.
An angry debate unfolded in the Lok Sabha over allegations of mammoth corruption for the Commonwealth Games. Opposition parties united to attack the government, saying it must explain where every paisa has been spent.
As heads rolled in the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, everybody talked about how the big fish might have escaped once again. A K Mattoo, who took charge as the Treasurer of the Organising Committee, for the first time admitted to NDTV that the committee's credibility had taken a beating.
As scam after scam is unraveled before the Commonwealth Games, perhaps the biggest scandal of these Games is the human cost - the story of 42 labourers who died on the job working in pathetic conditions.
Sources say the contract finalised by suspended Kalmadi aide TS Durbari allowed Australia-based Sport Marketing and Management to get commission on all the sponsorship money, whether or not it had struck the deal.
Suresh Kalmadi's key aides Mohendroo and Darbari have been suspended along with M Jaichandran, who handled Finance and Accounts. Moreover, the investigation into allegations of corruption has been handed over to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia feels the country would have been better off without hosting the Commonwealth Games given the organisational chaos that has marred the build-up to the October 3 to 14 event in Delhi.
Now, another email accessed by NDTV shows Ashish Patel got detailed and written instructions on how much to charge for the taxis he provided from Sanjay Mahendrro - one of Kalmadi's closest aides, and a senior official of the Organizing Committee.
"The government should not allow this sort of corruption to go on. These Games have become loot games. There are still two months to go and if we do not act immediately, it will be like giving full licence for corruption," said CPM Politburo Member Brinda Karat.
An email accessed by NDTV clearly shows that an official of the OC, Sanjay Mohindroo, told Ashish Patel of AM Films what rates to charge for cab hire in London.
As the allegations of corruption get larger and louder for those involved with the Commonwealth Games, the trouble-shooting for Suresh Kalmadi is becoming tougher.
BSP, BJP and the Left parties created an uproar in Parliament over allegations of diversion of funds for SC/ST schemes to Commonwealth Games projects and demanded a Parliamentary probe into it.
Secretary General of the CWG Organising Committee Lalit Bhanot has said that Suresh Kalmadi has met External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and a decision on the issue of the lettter will be taken.