HC for mechanism to remove tainted from sports bodies

The bench was hearing a petition by lawyer Rahul Mehra seeking the court’s directive to the authorities to remove Suresh Kalmadi,Lalit Bhanot and V K Verma from the IOA in view of their alleged role in the Commonwealth Games scam.

In his petition,Mehra had pointed out that the International Olympic Committee had written three letters to the IOA between August 2011 and January 2012,inquiring about Kalmadi’s status in the IOA.

In its reply,the IOA cited Kalmadi’s January 3,2012 letter,which he wrote while in Tihar Jail,to IOA’s “acting president” V K Malhotra that since he had been “implicated in false cases”,he would not be able to look after the affairs of the association.

“As things stand,I will not be representing the IOA. Under these circumstances,I want to inform you that as mine is going to be a prolonged absence,I will not be taking part in the IOA activities for a long time,” Kalmadi wrote,underlining that though he would not be involved in the day-to-day affairs,he was very much part of the IOA administration.

On Wednesday,the counsel for the IOA said as much: “all officials”,including Kalmadi,“are functioning as per existing guidelines”.

The court,however,was not impressed. “Is there no provision to remove such officials? Instead of putting roadblocks,you (IOA and Sports Ministry) should find solutions in such cases. We will want you to tell us the provisions and regulations concerned,” the Bench said.

When the counsel argued that Kalmadi was no longer involved in IOA’s affairs,the court retorted: “If this is so,there is all the more reason to remove him. We can consider summoning him in person too.”

The counsel then requested two weeks to respond,which the court granted. The case will now be heard on March 21.