Kalmadi wants JPC into CWG scam

Sacked Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi today demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into all issues relating to the mega sporting event amid reports that CBI has tracked an email alleging that he got kickbacks.

In a statement on the eve of the start of the Budget Session of Parliament, an embattled Kalmadi said he would resign as Member of Parliament in case any proof of him having taken even a single rupee surfaces.

Kalmadi also said he was "deeply pained and constrained" at the "malicious campaign" going against him regarding Commonwealth Games 2010. "The stories going around are far from actual facts," he said.

"Were the government to agree to constitution of a JPC into the 2G Spectrum issue it would only be fair a similar process of Joint Parliamentary Committee should go into the entire range of issues connected with preparations, executions and conduct of the Commonwealth Games. I am confident that this would enable the entire truth to emerge in the public domain," said Kalmadi.

According to reports, the CBI probing the corruption trail in the Commonwealth Games has tracked an email that, its officials say, is the first specific allegation of kickbacks paid to Kalmadi.

"I can vouch that I have not gained financially even a single rupee out of these games and if proved otherwise I am prepared to step down as a Member of Parliament," Kalmadi said.

The IOA president, who is an MP from Pune, re-iterated his oft-repeated claim that the OC budget was a very small amount of the total fund sanctioned for the Commonwealth Games.

"The OC budget for conducting the Games was just about 5% of the total budget of CWG. In spite of this, I am the only one who have been singled out and targeted for investigations while the role of all other government agencies including Delhi government and various other Central government instrumental agencies connected with the decision making process, who have been associated with 95% of the budget, have been completely overlooked," Kalmadi said.

"The sports fraternity -- from athletes to officials and international media -- have lauded the success of the Games and termed it the best ever CWG. Yet, my reputation has been greatly harmed by the continuous allegations of wrong doing with regular media bashing.

"It is a well known fact that even though the games were awarded in 2003, the actual work towards the games started somewhere in 2008, with the paucity of time on one side and reputation of country on the other side, there were pressures to complete and achieve target and deadline of 3 October 2010," said Kalmadi.