New Delhi:
Allegations and counter-allegations of corruption in the Commonwealth Games continue and are getting murkier. Sacked from the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee on Monday over allegations of irregularities in payments to the UK-based AM Films, TS Darbari has hit back at Suresh Kalmadi.(
Read: Who is TS Darbari?)
NDTV has access to several CWG-related documents. Among them, Darbari's letter to the Sports Secretary Sindhushree Khullar and Commonwealth Games CEO, Mike Hooper denying that he had anything to do with hiring AM Films for the Queen's Baton Rally last year and saying Kalmadi had personally approved using AM films.
(Read:UK firm AM Films dubious? NDTV accesses documents)Kalmadi, he said, "was the only competent authority available then to okay the deal".
Darbari has challenged Suresh Kalmadi's distancing himself from the AM Films deal, alleging that even the payments were approved by Kalmadi himself. UK businessman Ashish Patel's AM Films was paid 100 percent in advance, a sum of 247,000 pounds for "services rendered' during the Queen's Baton Ceremony in London last year.(
Read:Who is Ashish Patel?)
"Entire matter relating to engagement of vendors, passing of bills and disbursements of payments was handled by committee with Jeychandran, Mohindroo, and Sudhir Verma. On obtaining the Chairman's approval the vendor was asked to deliver the services. As per the terms indicated by the vendor and based on the chairman, OC's approval it was forwarded to finance and accounts." says Darbari in his
To NDTV, Darbari said, "I was unnecessarily targeted, it is a motivated campaign against me." He denied knowing Ashish Patel, the owner of UK-based AM Films, and reiterated that he had no role in recommending the company for the Queen's Baton Rally.
"They are making me a scapegoat", he said, but, avoided a direct answer when asked whether he had been made a scapegoat by Kalmadi.
Darbari also said, "I was not removed from the Organising Committee, I was asked to go on leave."
NDTV also has access to a letter Darbari has written to Organising Committee General Secretary Lalit Bhanot where he comments on allegedly "doctored" emails from the Indian High Commission in UK.
Suresh Kalmadi had produced letters from a Raju Sebastian in the embassy, claiming that AM Films had been recommended by the Indian High Commission. India House in London refuted the claim, alleging that the emails appeared to have been "doctored".
Darbari said to Bhanot, "I can neither deny nor confirm the authenticity of the email since I am neither the addressee nor the addressor."
The original email had been written by Raju Sebastian to Raj Singh a director in the Organising Committee. Darbari forwarded the email to Sanjay Mohendroo, who has also been axed from the committee.
NDTV has accessed the e-mails allegedly exchanged between Sebastian and Singh, but Raj Singh denies having received them. In a hand-written note, Raj Singh says,"I have till date not received the e-mail in my inbox."
AK Mattoo, the treasurer of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee told NDTV that he would respond only after he saw the documents. And Commonwealth Games Federation CEO, Mike Hooper, too has denied having received any communication from Darbari, after he was sacked. (
Read:Alleged CWG corruption: Three Kalmadi men down and out)
Darbari, who was a Joint Director of the Organising Committee, was sacked on Monday and was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for over six hours for alleged irregularities in payments to AM Films, during the Queen's Baton Ceremony last year.