Kalmadi again approaches court to attend parliament

The Delhi High Court Friday issued notice to the home ministry and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a petition filed by Congress MP and sacked Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi seeking permission to attend the monsoon session of parliament

Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw sought the responses by Monday and directed Kalmadi, who is in Tihar jail on charges of financial irregularities ahead of the Games, to file an affidavit of his attendance record of the last five years in parliament.

Kalmadi's counsel said it would be difficult for him to get the attendance record of last five years. The court then said: "If five years would not be possible, then file the attendance record of last session."

The home ministry and CBI vehemently opposed Kalamdi's application saying that he could influence witnesses while attending the session. The monsoon session of parliament begins Aug 1.

The court also directed Kalmadi's counsel to file his latest medical report. Kalmadi underwent a brain scan at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Thursday.

He dismissed reports that he was suffering from dementia and told reporters outside AIIMS: "I'm perfectly all right."

Kalmadi was arrested April 25. The CBI May 20 filed its first chargesheet in the corruption case against him and 10 others.

The probe agency has described Kalmadi as the prime accused in the case related to financial irregularities in awarding a Rs.141 crore contract for timing, scoring and result system for the October 2010 sporting event.