You cannot sack me, Kalmadi tells Maken

Suresh Kalmadi, the sacked chairman of the Delhi Commonwealth Games organising committee, has protested at his dismissal by the sports ministry, calling it illegal and arbitrary in a letter to the sports minister seen by sections of the media today.

Congress MP Kalmadi wrote to sports minister Ajay Maken saying he was "shocked" by the manner in which he was sacked on Monday as chairman of the committee.

"I am shocked to receive an order dated 24 January illegally and arbitrarily removing me from the position of chairman of the organising committee of the Commonwealth Games," Kalmadi wrote.

"The organising committee is an autonomous society registered under the Societies Registration Act and as chairman I can only be removed in accordance with the constitutional documents of the society," he said.

The months leading up to the games saw a waterfall of allegations of corruption. Contracts showed firms being overpaid, being chosen out of turn, or receiving disproportionately large advances.

Media reports suggested many of these contracts had been signed by Kalmadi and company with healthy kickbacks built in.