Under-pressure OC forms panel to investigate UK money trail

New Delhi, Aug 3 (PTI) Caught in a web of corruption
scandals and under intense pressure from the government, the
Commonwealth Games Organising Committee was Tuesday forced to
form a three-member panel to probe allegations of irregular
financial transactions with a little-known UK-based company.
The decision to form the panel came after Kalmadi met
India's foreign minister S M Krishna amid speculation that the
letters recommending the UK-based company -- AM Cars and Vans
-- from the Indian High Commission could have been doctored.
Kalmadi had presented e-mails from the High Commission's
protocol division to insist that the company was recommended
to the OC ahead of Queen's Baton relay in London.
But the Ministry of External Affairs has apparently
questioned the authenticity of these mails.
"Organising Committee Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010
Chairman Suresh Kalmadi has set up the panel which includes
Jarnail Singh, OC Chief Executive Officer, G C Chaturvedi,
Special Director General- Finance, and Gurjyot Kaur, Chief
Vigilance Officer," OC Secretary General Lalit Bhanot told
reporters here.
"The Committee will look into the issue of money being
paid to AM Car and Van Limited and the Ministry of External
Affair's contention about the letters issued by the Indian
High Commission in the United Kingdom," he said.
Kalmadi has his back against the wall with allegations of
widescale corruption and shoddy construction work at the
Games' venues also being highlighted by the Central Vigilance
Commission.
Bhanot said the media reports about corruption have been
taken note of by OC and it has therefore formed a panel to
investigate all the allegations.
The UK-based AM Films was allegedly paid lakhs for its
"services" during the baton relay but Kalmadi though admitting
that there was no contract with the company has denied any
irregular financial transactions. More PTI MRM
RDM


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