Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Former Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee (OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi Wednesday opposed in a Delhi court the charges against him in a corruption case related to the 2010 sporting event held here.

Kalmadi’s counsel Harshad Ponda told Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Talwant Singh that up to July 2009 the procurements required for the Games were the responsibility of the government. “The responsibility of the procurement was given to the OC after July 2009,” he added.

Kalmadi’s submission came while advancing his argument against the CBI charges in a case of procuring a scoring system for the event. He denied wrong doings and opposed the allegation levelled against him by the probe agency.

Opposing the charges levelled against him, Kalmadi said a committee of 28 members was formed to look after the procurements for the event. No committee member raised any objection over the timing system’s contract, he added.

Ponda told the court that the decision taken by Kalmadi was as the chairman of the OC.

The CBI in its first charge sheet in the case against Kalmadi and 10 others described him as a prime accused and the mastermind in the corruption case related to financial irregularities in awarding the Rs.141 crore contract for a scoring system.

The accused officials and two companies were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.