New Delhi:
The CBI has summoned Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) chief Suresh Kalmadi to appear before it for interrogation relating to alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Commonwealth Games (CWG).
CBI sources said Kalmadi has been served a notice, and the agency has taken necessary permission from the Lok Sabha Secretariat as the OC head is member of the House.
Sources add that Kalmadi will be interrogated after January 3, 2011, and that the OC chairman will be asked to clarify certain contracts given to foreign firms for carrying out overlays work, alleged misappropriation of funds meant for various activities and Queen's Baton Relay in London last year among other things.
Kalmadi's questioning follows the interrogation of his key aide Lalit Bhanot and political advisor Manoj Bhore on Tuesday. Sources said the officials were questioned at length about several contracts, and they were also asked to clarify certain financial transactions made with CWG contractors for the conduct of the Commonwealth Games.
Last week on Friday, the CBI launched simultaneous raids at Kalmadi's home and offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Pune as part of its ongoing investigations into the multi-crore Games scam. The CBI has also filed three FIRs in connection with alleged irregularities in the Games.
The agency is looking at the possibility of registering a case on the charge of destruction of evidence. Sources said some of the crucial documents which could throw light on the Commonwealth Games deals have gone missing. The probe agencies fear that they could have been either destroyed or hidden.
They said CBI officials have found sufficient evidence of criminal conspiracy by unidentified OC officials in tampering with documents and manipulating information in them.