CWG panel denies financial fraud charges

The Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi has released a press note refuting allegations of financial irregularities during the Queen's Baton Relay.

The Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi has released the following press note refuting allegations of financial irregularities during the Queen's Baton Relay.

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Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 refutes the allegations in the media of financial irregularities with relation to the launch of the Queen's Baton Relay 2010 Delhi in London on October 29, 2009. We must point out that we have not received any official communication in this regard.

Organising Committee Commonwealth Games would like to state that we have followed due diligence in making all payments, getting the clearances from the Executive Board and from RBI for incurring the expenditure in foreign currency. All remittances happened against this clearance.

In response an e-mail from the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010, the High Commission of India in London recommended AM Car & Van Ltd as one of the official vendors for cars. The payments were made as per the High Commission rates.

On the basis of that, the following payments were made in Pounds Sterling to AM Car & Van Hire Ltd:
October 23, 2009: £100,613.00
October 26, 2009: £ 36,600.67
October 30, 2009: £100,879.89
Total: £238,093.56

A payment of 146,868.80 pounds was made to AM Films UK Ltd on October 24, 2009 for hiring mobile video screens. This was made after Metropolitan Police insisted that we provide the mobile video screens at the venue of the function.

The allegation that Organising Committee makes payments of 25,000 pounds every month to AM Films UK Ltd is baseless and incorrect.

The fact the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi has sought a VAT refund of 61,419.78 pounds from the British Government shows that we have nothing to hide.