New Delhi: Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, under fire over allegations of corruption in preparation for the Games, on Tuesday defended himself in a letter written to MPs saying he is open to an investigation by either the Comptroller and Auditor General or the judiciary.
In the letter Kalmadi gave his defence in 14 points and also explained the controversy surrounding Queen's Baton Relay in London that took place in October 2009.
"Executive board of OC of CWG had approved Rs 13.13 crore. The committee incurred an expense of only Rs 5.5 crore. We had scaled down the size of function because of cost cut and had floated global tenders and appointed MS Jack Morton Worldwide as event managers. Video screens were installed on insistence of London police. Sanjay Mahendroo gave a hand written note in which he had mentioned that video screens were required and a payment of Rs 1.20 crore was needed for the installation. The payment was released only after due consultations with all concerned. On contracts between AM cars & vans and Sanjay Mahendroo, we are unaware of existence of any such contract," Kalmdai writes in the letter.
He signs off by saying, "I am open to any scrutiny by CAG or judicial inquiry."
But senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief Minister Digvijaya Singh said that Kalmadi should step down if there is any evidence against him in connection with the allegations of corruption in the Games.
"If CBI presents the evidence, Kalmadi should resign on moral grounds," Singh said in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday.
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