Guilty would be brought to book: Gill

Fri, Jul 30 10 09:38 PM

New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) With corruption charges making headlines ahead of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, Sports Minister MS Gill today said if anyone is found guilty he would be definitely brought to book. "Yes, that is our duty...the basic duty. Me and the officers are working together...of course (they would be punished, if any)," Gill said. The Sports Minister also said that it is the duty of the authorities concerned to reply the queries of the countrymen regarding the allegations of corruptions related to various Games projects. "If that is so then there are authorities to answer. There is the Ministry of Urban Development and authorities of the Delhi government... We have major stadia and in future if anything short is found or in an RTI anybody asks, it is on the Organising Committee, the IOA and all sports federations, people must answer," Gill said. "And if links are attached to the Sports Ministry we are responsible, I don''t have any problem," he added. Foul practices in the issuance of various Games projects came to light recently after the Central Vigilance Commission had asked the CBI to register a corruption case against some MCD officials in connection with irregularities in a tender issued worth several crores. "If there is any complete report, you look at it and try to act and answer on it. Those happen to relate as they come to me like the stadia or the work with the SAI and CPWD, of course we would act in a hurry. But those involved, the DDA and the Delhi government, those they have to look into it," Gill told CNN-IBN. Gill also lamented the delay made in the start of the construction work for the Games even as various authorities are fighting against time to complete the infrastructure for the October 3-14 sporting extravaganza to be held here. He said had the construction work been started eight years ago when the country won the bid for the quadrennial event, by now India would have been ready to host the Games. "From 2003 its almost eight years. We could have built all these staff twice and thrice over. We should have started earlier, what else can I say," Gill said as the authorities are struggling to get the National capital ready for the Games with little over 60 days to go. .

Source: Published>