Indian Olympics Association President Suresh Kalmadi walks along with Pakistani Punjab Governor Salmaan Tahseer carrying the Queen's Baton for the Commonwealth Games at the Wagah border.
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday filed a complaint — the equivalent of a chargesheet — against former chairman of the organising committee (OC) of the 2010 Commonwealth Games Suresh Kalmadi and five close aides for financial irregularities in the conduct of the Queen’s Baton Relay in
London in October 2009.
The charges were slapped under the Foreign Exchange Management Act for violating Reserve Bank of India guidelines while making payments to the tune of
Rs. 4.6 crore for the relay.
The ED has let off former OC official TS Darbari, once Kalmadi’s close aide, whose services were terminated by the then chairman. The ED found no evidence against him.
“Kalmadi didn’t question any of the unauthorised payments by his close aides,” said an ED investigator. ED sources said two firms, AM Films and AM Car and Van, were contracted for providing video screens, barriers, temporary toilets, power generating sets and vehicles without proper procedures being followed.
The OC hired 150 cars and billed their use for 14-16 hours every day for travelling more than 100 miles a day. “Metering 100 miles in London is very unlikely,” said an ED official.