Kalmadi demands JPC probe so 'entire truth will emerge'

Thanks Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his 'wholehearted' support

Member of Parliament Suresh Kalmadi has now demanded an inquiry by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) into the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam, on the lines of the 2G spectrum scam.

A press release issued by Kalmadi's public relations officer Praveen Walimbe said: "Were the government to agree to constitution of a JPC into the 2G spectrum issue, it would only be fair a similar process of Joint Parliamentary Committee should go into the entire range of issues connected with preparations, executions and conduct of the Commonwealth Games. I am confident that this would enable the entire truth to emerge in the public domain."

Kalmadi's personal assistant Shekhar Deorukhkar was arrested on February 11 by the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi. After his arrest, Kalmadi's arrest was believed to be imminent as the investigations proceed.

In the release issued yesterday, Kalmadi said: "I am thankful to the Hon'ble Prime Minister for his whole hearted support. I wish to reiterate that there was a well documented system of decision making in the Organising Committee and all the government nominees in the Organising Committee and the Executive Board were part of this decision making on all issues including financials. It is rather strange that they have been totally left out with no responsibility is being attached to them for the decisions taken.

"I can vouch that I have not gained financially even a single rupee out of these games and if proved otherwise I am prepared to step down as a Member of Parliament. My only endeavour was to deliver the best games so that we could stake our claim for hosting the Olympics in India. I do admit that there may have been certain mistakes committed in the management as we have not hosted any big event like this after the Asiad 1982 and we lacked the requisite experience and knowhow. But attaching the corruption charge on me is totally unfair."