Suresh Kalmadi: Court allows 8 day police custody in CWG scam case

NEW DELHI: Patiala House on Tuesday granted police eight days custody of lawmaker and former Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, a day after his arrest on charges of criminal conspiracy.

Kalmadi, who was suspended from the ruling Congress Party hours after his arrest on Monday is accused of manipulating the award of contracts for the Commonwealth Games 2010.

After skipping questioning thrice, Kalmadi appeared at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters and was quizzed by the CBI sleuths before he was arrested.

This was his fourth round of questioning about a slew of contracts that saw the most expensive firms being hired for the equipment and services. These include conspiring with a Swiss firm that supplied the TSR for the October 3-14 Games at exorbitant rates.

Kalmadi's aides, including Lalit Bhanot, who served as the secretary general of the Organising Committee, and V.K. Verma, who was its director general, were arrested earlier.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar described Kalmadi's arrest as "belated but welcome".

"This is definitely a belated but welcome step," he said.

Javadekar said there should be similar action against other people. "We demand that action against Delhi Chief Minister (Sheila Dikshit) and other senior bureaucrats involved in the loot should also be taken."

Kalmadi was summoned to the CBI headquarters April 15 but had to go out of station on that day, an officialsaid. He was then called Tuesday, April 19, but could not make it. Yet again, he failed to appear before the CBI for questioning April 20, saying he was unwell.

Kalmadi was earlier questioned in connection with alleged irregularities in hiring AM Films and AM Car and Van Hire Limited during the Queen's Baton Relay in 2009.

The $6 billion sporting event became embroiled in rows over leaking stadiums, filthy athletes' accommodation and inflated tenders for equipment including treadmills, and toilet paper.