Aug. 1: Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CWG OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Sunday insisted that the UK-based firm at the centre of a corruption row that has hit CWG OC was recommended by the Indian High Commission despite an embarrassing denial issued by it.
The Indian High Commission had denied recommending A.M. Films, the little-known UK-based firm which allegedly received lakhs of pounds for providing its “services” during the Queen’s Baton Relay in London. Kalmadi refuted the claim and asserted that the recommendation came from the High Commission only from a protocol official Raju Sebastian, who has been dubbed in media reports as “too junior an official to make any recommendation on behalf of the Indian High Commission”.
“The Organising Committee would like to clarify that we had written to Mr Vikrant Ratan, the first secretary (Protocol) of the Indian High Commission, to provide us the list of agencies for transportation, accommodation and other services and their approved rates.
“In response, Mr Raju Sebastian of the Protocol Division of the Indian High Commission, giving reference to our mail to the First Secretary, Vikrant Ratan, informed that the approved vendors for transport are AM Car and Van and the Chauffeur Company,” the CWG chairman stated on Sunday.
Kalmadi, also the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president, said the rates were also approved by the High Commission.
“He (Sebastian) also indicated the approved rates of the High Commission for accommodation and transportation.
In view of the clarification which clearly indicates that the Indian High Commission had recommended AM Car and Vans to the Organising Committee for QBR Launch Function at London, it is requested that the factual position in projected,” Kalmadi said.
Incidentally, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register a corruption case against certain MCD officials in connection with irregularities in the tender issued for a Commonwealth Games project worth several crores.