3 Kalmadi aides sacked from games panel

AP
Bellevision Media Network

New Delhi, 05 August 2010: The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee on Thursday suspended T S Darbari and Sanjay Mahendroo following the report of the three-member panel which was probing the financial irregularities related to the Queen’s Baton Relay.

 

"The committee met and submitted their report. The executive board has decided to suspend T S Darbari and Sanjay Mahendroo. Though Mahendroo is not in our rolls anymore, but we will refer it to the ED to further investigate it," said organising committee secretary general Lalit Bhanot.

 

 

The names of Darbari, who was the joint director in the organising committee, and Mahendroo, who was deputy director general, figured in the investigations into alleged irregularities into services provided during the Queen’s Baton Relay in London. Bhanot said that the executive board also decided to terminate the contract of Melbourne-based Sports Marketing and Management (SMAM) on the basis of "non-performance."

 

AP learns the Enforcement Directorate has summoned Darbari, who came under the scanner six months ago when he was accused of smuggling a diamond ring worth Rs 28 lakh from Dubai. Darbari was considered close to Suresh Kalmadi, the chairperson of the organising committee. Jayachandran, Officer of Special Duty for revenue and sponsorship, has been removed too.

 

In an another step, R K Mattoo was made the new treasurer of the Organising Committee. Matto’s appointment follows the resignation of Anil Khanna. Khanna quit as treasurer in wake of allegations that his son’s firm secured contract for laying synthetic courts at R K Khanna Tennis Stadium, one of the venues of the October 3-14 Games.

 

Khanna is the secretary-general of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), which is the owner of the tennis stadium. "I have resigned from the post of treasurer. I am taking moral responsibility and quitting. I am not in the process of selection of the turf. I joined (the treasurer’s) office in 2010, the tendering process had taken place in December 2009," said Khanna.