By IANS,
New Delhi: Former chief of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi was Wednesday sent to 14 days in judicial custody by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here.
Allowing the CBI’s plea, Special Judge Dharmesh Sharma sent 66-year-old Kalmadi and two other officials of the games committee, Sujit Lal and A.S.V. Prasad, to Tihar Jail.
“The court has ordered their judicial custody till May 18 in connection with alleged irregularities in the contracts awarded for the 2010 mega event,” an official from the special court said.
Kalmadi was brought to the court after his eight days’ CBI custody ended Wednesday.
Initiating the arguments, defence counsel Amit Desai apposed the CBI’s plea saying, “the CBI had arrested Kalmadi April 25, at around 12:30, as the media reported it. But, officially announced his arrest at around 4…it is an illegal custody as he was not brought to the court within 24 hours…hence he should be released”.
Counsel referred to the reports of several media channels which stated that CBI has arrested Kalmadi, but would announce it officially after the paper work is completed.
Desai added: “My client was asked to come at 10.30 to the CBI headquarters. He was not questioned at all and was asked to sit inside a room…”
The submissions were opposed by CBI counsel V.K. Sharma, who said: “We are not concerned with what media is reporting. This is not a matter to be considered at this stage. He reported to the CBI at around 11.30 a.m. and was questioned by several officials.”
The prosecutor added that the submissions regarding the official announcement of his arrests have already been heard and the court had dismissed them.
Meanwhile, the court dismissed his plea and sent Kalmadi and his two aides to Tihar Jail.
Kalmadi was arrested for fraud and conspiring with other officers of the Organising Committee for overpaying a Swiss firm Rs.95 crore for timing and score keeping equipment that was used at different venues during the Commonwealth Games.
Kalmadi has also been accused of sanctioning payments to AM Films and AM Car for the Queen’s Baton Relay function in London at rates that were hugely inflated.
Kalmadi entered the court room in a white shirt and brown pants. He smiled at the media persons and maintained his cool throughout the proceedings.
Due to security reasons, the police officials did not allow any cameraperson or photographer inside the court premises.
Earlier, a Madhya Pradesh lawyer had tried to attack Kalmadi with his slipper.