Darbari will go, says Kalmadi, as Ministry checks on 18 complaints

 Under fire for alleged irregularities by officials of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, its chairman Suresh Kalmadi is learnt to have told the government that he would shortly be terminating the contract of OC Joint Director General T S Darbari.

But it transpires that the Sports Ministry advisory to the OC on terminating the services of two top officials is only the latest in a list of complaints — there are allegations of corruption, suspect procurement and irregular appointments — forwarded to the OC.

Kalmadi has also been instructed by the Ministry to get the audit committee of the OC Executive Committee prepare the complete accounts of the “overseas leg” of the Queen’s Baton Relay and submit it for scrutiny.

While the immediate provocation for the ouster of Darbari may be the controversy over the money transfer for services during the Baton Relay, the earlier complaint against him in a case of Kerala Customs — it was first published in The Indian Express — tops the list of 18 alleged corruption and vigilance matters, correspondence for which is maintained in a file in the Sports Ministry.

Some of these 18 complaints have been forwarded to the Ministry by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and some, in turn, have been forwarded to the CVC for further action. Others have been referred to the Government by leaders of Opposition parties and NGOs.

In its “status report” to the Ministry on the complaints, the OC has asked for an extension of deadline until August 10 to furnish replies and explanations in at least five cases.

These complaints specifically deal with the appointment of training agencies, a complaint on appointment of a technology integrator to an “ineligible” firm, procurement of various items at “exorbitant” rates, supply of 3-D Sheras (the CWG mascot), and “excessive” expenditure on the CWG Republic Day tableau — the last is also the subject of a CVC inquiry, an explanation for which was first sought by the Ministry from the OC in March.

Two other complaints — one on “undue favor” shown to Wizcraft (the event management company which bagged the contracts for the CWG opening and closing ceremonies) and the other on alleged irregularities in procurement of surface tracks — have been listed by the OC as “not traceable” in files. Both these complaints are also the subject of correspondence between the Sports Ministry and CVC.