Kalmadi gets green signal for Olympics

Former Commonwealth Games [CWG] Organising Committee [OC] chairman Suresh Kalmadi, who has been accused of corruption, was Friday allowed by a special court to attend conferences in London during the Olympics starting 27 July.

Central Bureau of Investigation [CBI] special judge Talwant Singh allowed Kalmadi to visit London  26 July- 13 August when the Olympics will be held.

Kalmadi had Thursday moved the court seeking permission to attend the International Association of Athletics Federations [IAAF] Council conference in London on the sidelines of the games.

'The application is allowed since the accused [Kalmadi] has to attend the IAAF meeting and as the arguments on the charges in the case on behalf of the accused are over. The accused has also said that no adjournment will be sought on his behalf in further hearing in the case and that his counsel will be present in the case,' judge Talwant Singh said in his order.

Kalmadi, who is out on bail in a graft case related to the 2010 CWG here, had said in his application that he wanted to attend the IAAF Council conference in London in his capacity as a member and as president of Asian Athletics Association [AAA].

He also placed on record the invitation from the IAAF Council and programme schedule of the Olympics and details of the ticket sent to him by association's general secretary Essar Gabriel.

The CBI in the case against Kalmadi and 10 others, described him as a prime accused and the mastermind in the corruption case related to financial irregularities in awarding a Rs 141 crore contract for a scoring system.