CBI to finally quiz Suresh Kalmadi

NEW DELHI: CBI has finally asked CWG Organizing Committee (OC) chief Suresh Kalmadi to present himself before the agency, which is likely to quiz him about his role in dodgy contracts, a blackmail letter and destruction of evidence.
Kalmadi has, like DMK’s A Raja did in the 2G spectrum allocation case, responded by expressing his inability to be at the CBI headquarters immediately.Kalmadi has sought time till January 3 and agency sources said the Pune MP had claimed he did not have time until then.
While CBI is looking to try and get to the bottom of the Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) and timing, scoring and results contracts where tendering rules were violated and certain firms were paid in excess, Kalmadi’s move to dissolve the OC was countered by the PMO-appointed CEO Jarnail Singh.
In a circular issued on December 27, Jarnail Singh countered Kalmadi’s orders by noting that “no official will exit from the rolls of OC without approval of the CEO”. The order is significant as it virtually takes away the powers to relieve officials from Kalmadi, a move that clearly has the backing of the PMO.
Agency sources said they have not sought permission from Lok Sabha with regard to questioning Kalmadi. “We have not issued any summons to Kalmadi. He has been asked to assist us in the probe in connection with the raids conducted by CBI and the threat letter found from his office. His office has agreed to assist us in the probe,” said a CBI official.