Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS) Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, the second largest party in the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) said Monday it “will be satisfied” if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh makes a statement in the Lok Sabha that “anybody found guilty of Commonwealth Games corruption will not be spared”.
Referring to media reports on the allegations of financial irregularities in organising the Games, Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, while participating in a Lok Sabha debate on the issue, asked: “Who are actually involved in the scam?”

He said many questions have been raised on the issue.

“This issue has to be clarified on the floor of the house. All of us are concerned,” Badyopadhyay said.

“Who actually holds the financial powers,” he asked.

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) is alleged to have paid AM Films, an Indian-owned firm in London, over 450,000 pounds for services during last year’s Queen’s Baton Relay inaugural without proper tendering and paperwork.

Two aides of CGOC chief Suresh Kalmadi were suspended after an enquiry found that an e-mail from the Indian High Commission in London on the basis of which the firm was allegedly hired was tampered with.

This apart, CGOC treasurer Anil Khanna quit in the wake of allegations that his son’s firm was unduly favoured in ordering the synthetic turf for the tennis stadium for the Games.

Audit watchdog Comptroller and Auditor General of India has also commented adversely on the cost overruns for the stadia being built or refurbished for the Oct 3-14 Games.