Sports Ministry asked CWG Organising Committee to procure equipment: Suresh Kalmadi tells court

NEW DELHI: Sacked CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, accused in a games-related graft case, today told a Delhi court it was the decision of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports that OC should take over the process of procuring equipment for the sporting event.

Kalmadi's counsel H H Ponda told special CBI judge Talwant Singh that on July 15, 2009, in a meeting of senior officials of the Sports Ministry, it was decided that OC should take over the process of procurement of equipment, while the details of cost were to be jointly taken care of by OC and the venue owners.

Ponda, arguing on framing of charges against Kalmadi, added that the Delhi government and the Delhi Development Authority were to provide the funds.

"This is the final decision of Sports Ministry. So where is the question of us doing anything wrong," senior advocate Ponda asked.

Lok Sabha MP Kalmadi and 10 others have been issued charge sheet by the CBI under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act for "illegally" awarding the contract to install Timing, Scoring and Results (TSR) system for the 2010 games to Swiss Timing, causing a loss of over Rs 90 crore to the exchequer.

Ponda said even the Director General of Sports Authority of India had suggested that "OC should procure the equipment".

He, however, made it clear that the OC did not want to take any decision (regarding procurement) on its own and the Sports Ministry was to take the final decision.

"DG, SAI had said that OC should procure the equipment. It was the first time OC was asked to take over everything regarding procurement.

"We didn't want to decide ourselves. Final decision was to be taken by the Sports Ministry and not by OC," Ponda said.

The arguments which remained inconclusive will continue tomorrow.