In another twist to the major scam in the Commonwealth Games, the Indian commission today said it has not recommended AM Films for providing services as claimed by Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi.
Reacting to remarks made by Kalmadi at a press conference in Delhi, high commission spokesperson said, "AM Films is not on the panel of companies recommended by the high commission usually".
A day after the scam hit the Commonwealth Games, Kalmadi had claimed that AM Films had been recommended by the Indian mission and showed an email purported to have been sent by Raju Sebastian, an assistant, to back his contention.
High commission sources said Sebastian was too junior a staffer to have been entrusted with this task.
The spokesperson said, "we have to scrutinise the email Kalmadi is holding as proof of the high commission's recommendation".
AM Films was reportedly given over £4.50 lakh by the OC without following any proper tendering procedure and there was no paper work. Kalmadi has rubbished allegations of wrongdoings.
At the press conference, Kalmadi, however, admitted that there was no contract under which payments were made to a British company.
"There is no contract between the OC and AM Films which was roped in at the last minute only on the recommendation of the Indian high commission in London", he said.
The OC is reported to have made a payment of nearly 2.5 lakh pounds for video equipment purchase while AM Films has claimed that it provided services of car hire, makeshift toilets, barriers and electricity.
