Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) Sports minister Ajay Maken Friday welcomed the report prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on the financial irregularities in the Commonwealth Games and asserted that “no one named will be spared”.

The CAG, in its 743-page report, blamed the Shiela Dixit-led Delhi Government and now jailed Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) former chief Suresh Kalmadi for mishandling the funds in the mega event last year.

“We welcome the CAG report. Let me assure you no one named in the report will be spared,” Maken said in a television channel.

“I am confident CBI and other agencies will be looking at the report from the angle of criminality.

“The Prime Minister has already assured the nation that strict action will be taken on the people responsible. The government has shown that already, with the many people lying in Tihar Jail.”

The CAG report also held the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) responsible for the appointment of Kalmadi as the OC chief “despite strenuous” objections from the then sports minister Sunil Dutt. Maken, who had earlier defended the PMO saying it was the NDA government who picked Kalmadi, stuck to his stance.

“It would be wrong to say that Kalmadi was appointed at the insistence of PMO. The host city contract was signed and passed by them (National Democratic Alliance),” he said.

The CAG report said: “In our opinion, the decision of the PMO for appointing Suresh Kalmadi as the Chairman of the OC facilitated the conversion of the originally envisaged government-owned OC into a body effectively outside governmental control.

“Despite strenuous objections from the erstwhile (Sports) Minister, late Shri Sunil Dutt, Kalmadi was appointed the OC Chairman, based on a PMO recommendation of December 2004.”