CBI to corner Kalmadi on loose ends

NEW DELHI: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will soon call Suresh Kalmadi, chief organizer of the Commonwealth Games, for a crucial session in connection with the hosting of the sports event. CBI sources said the agency plans to question Kalmadi on what they called holes in the replies he gave when he was interrogated by the agency on January 5 on the Games scam case.

Kalmadi had spent almost an entire day handling questions from CBI. Sources also said the outcome of Kalmadi's second session will shape the agency's course of action on the scam. They said that during the first round of questioning, Kalmadi admitted to ordering release of payment of 1.46 lakh pounds to AM Films. He further admitted to have kept documents related to OC contracts at his house. The CBI team also found a diary that has details of monetary transactions from his Pune residence.

"He has a lot of explaining to do as he could not give satisfactory replies," said an official involved with the investigation. In the fresh round of questioning, Kalmadi is likely to be asked about contracts related to overlays, Time-Scoring and Result (TSR) system, sponsorship and ticketing. Last time, he was questioned about payment of 1.46 lakh pounds to AM Films for video screen installation, which he admitted to have ordered after a call by T S Darbari and Sanjay Mohindroo from London, as reported by TOI on Thursday.

Also, Kalmadi's aides, including Darbari, reportedly said he was aware of all transactions. Darbari had even written a letter to the CBI director on November 3 detailing the contracts to AM Films and Cars and had claimed that those were approved by the OC chief. A senior CBI official said, "There are many evidences going against the OC chairman."