Enough evidence to prosecute Kalmadi: CBI

Senior officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation looking into the financial irregularities of the Commonwealth Games told rediff.com that they had enough evidence to prosecute Suresh Kalmadi, the sacked chairman of the Commonwealth Organising Committee.

Two cases have been registered against Kalmadi over the alleged irregularities related to the award of contracts to Swiss Timekeeping and the Queens Baton Relay. The contracts awarded to a Swiss firm for Timing-Scoring-Result system for the Games, caused a loss of Rs 95 crore to the exchequer.

The CBI officials were reacting to a recent statement made by Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh that Kalmadi was innocent and would be  out on bail soon. "No court will grant him bail," said a CBI officer.

Digvijay Singh's statement came as a shocker ever to officials of the Indian Olympic Association. "If Kalmadi is innocent then who is guilty," asked one of the top ranking officials of the association.

"Kalmadi had everything under his command and paid no heed to the suggestions made by other OC members. He along with Lalit Bhanot, sacked general secretary of the OC, was running the show. They took even the Prime Minister's Office for ride by asking for contingency funds," he said. 

Lalit Bhanot's efforts to seek a bail were rejected by the CBI trail court looking into Commonwealth Games scam on July 5.