Kalmadi, Chavan innocent, says Digvijay

Pune, Jul 11 (PTI) The first voice of sympathy within
Congress for sacked Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising
Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi, now behind bars, came on
Monday from senior leader Digvijay Singh who said he is
"innocent" and that court could consider granting him bail.
Addressing party workers in Kalmadi's home turf here,
the AICC (All India Congress Committee) general secretary also
batted for Ashok Chavan saying he felt that both the Congress
MP (Member of Parliament) and the former Maharashtra (a
western Indian state) Chief Minister were "innocent" and that
they would come out "clean". He however said these views were
his personal opinion.
"I feel bad that Ashok Chavan had to step down from
post of chief minister. It pains me that our brother Suresh
Kalmadi is being made to go through hardships. In my personal
opinion, I believe that both of them are innocent and will
come out clean," he said.
"But whenever any corruption charges are levelled,
Soniaji has to take action," he added.
Making a case for bail for Kalmadi, the Congress
leader also felt that in the cases where the chargesheet had
been filed and investigations were completed the judiciary
should consider granting bail to the accused. He, however, did
not name anybody in this connection.
A charge-sheet in the CWG scam has been filed in the
court.
Kalmadi was arrested by CBI (Central Bureau of
Investigation) on April 25, 2011, for fraud and for conspiring
with other officers of the Organising Committee to overpay a
Swiss firm Rs 95 crore for timing and scorekeeping equipment
that was used at different venues during last year's
Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. He is now lodged in Tihar
jail.
Chavan had to step down in November 2010 after being
accused in the Adarsh Housing Society scam.
Singh said Congress had always fought corruption.
It was because of the Right to Information Act brought
by the Congress government that the recent scams, including
those relating to the Adarsh Society, CWG and 2G spectrum, had
come to light, he added.
"Congress has not spared anybody and we have acted in
all cases. On the other hand, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has
not touched the Chief Minister of the southern Indian state of
Karnataka B Yeddyurappa who is facing charges of corruption,"
Singh said.