Kalmadi gave Malhotra IOA charge for 3 months only
Did Suresh Kalmadi think that his jail time for alleged role in the multi-crore Commonwealth Games scam would be just about three months?
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: January 05, 2012 03:47 PM IST
Did Suresh Kalmadi think that his jail time for alleged role in the multi-crore Commonwealth Games scam would be just about three months?
The former Indian Olympic Association and CWG Organising Committee chief has been in jail since April 25, when he was arrested for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for the 2010 Games in the national capital.
A day before he was to be arrested by the CBI, Kalmadi had written a letter to now acting-President VK Malhotra authorising him to take charge of the IOA for a period of three months.
In a brief hand-written letter to Malhotra, Kalmadi said, "I am away. I hereby appoint you to discharge the duties of acting President for a period of three months and request you to carry out the day-to-day activities of the Indian Olympic Association."
However, more than three months have lapsed since the letter was sent but Malhotra continues to head to the apex sporting body in the country.
But a top IOA official said that it was not an issue at all and there was no discrepancy in Malhotra continuing in the job under the circumstances.
Interestingly, two of the top-three positions in the IOA have been nominated with treasurer N Ramachandran also being a nominated official.
Secretary General Randhir Singh, who has announced his retirement from the post when his tenure comes to an end later this year, is the only elected member.
The IOA elections are scheduled to be held in November-December this year. The CBI had closed in on the 66-year-old Kalmadi, the CWG's public face, six months after the end of the Games, that was mired in controversies and scams.
He was arrested for awarding illegal contracts to a Swiss firm for Timing-Scoring-Result (TSR) system, causing a loss of Rs 95 crore to the exchequer, and Queens Baton Relay (QBR) for the Games.
The CBI had registered a case under section 120B (conspiracy) read with Section 420 (cheating) IPC and other relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act in the case, an official said.