Suresh Kalmadi moves high court again to attend Parliament

NEW DELHI: Sacked Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi, arrested for his alleged role in awarding a lucrative Games contract to a Swiss firm at inflated rates, on Friday moved the Delhi High court for its permission to attend Parliament.

The 67-year-old Congress MP from Pune moved the high court challenging its single bench's order which had rejected his plea for permission to attend Parliament, dubbing his request as "an attempt to get fresh air outside the prison".

Kalmadi sought the court's permission claiming that attending Parliament session is his duty towards his electorate and is linked to his right to the freedom of speech and expression. Kalmadi's plea is likely to be heard on Monday.

Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw had earlier rejected his plea saying, "when the petitioner could afford to miss Parliament, then his desire/keenness to attend it now can only be understood as an attempt to get fresh air outside the prison walls."