NEW DELHI: India's government has ordered a probe into the construction delays and corruption allegations that blighted the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) national watchdog ordered the probe into various Games-related projects a day after Thursday's closing ceremony, the Press Trust of India said. Harish Khare, the prime minister's media adviser, said the inquiry committee would be headed by V.K. Shunglu, a former auditor-general, and will submit its findings within three months. The committee will “look into all matters relating to organizing and conduct of the Commonwealth Games, including to draw lessons from it,” said Khare in a statement issued late Friday. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, one of the driving spirits behind the frantic last-minute preparations for the Games, warned those found guilty would be punished. “The prime minister has said that whatever has gone wrong will be dealt with severely and eventually (those involved in) corruption will not get away,” Dikshit told NDTV. “There is a mystery about tickets. People said stadiums were empty but tickets were not available and so what happened?” she said. Many countries considered withdrawing from the New Delhi Games following construction delays which meant most venues weren't ready for Test events and shocked some delegates who discovered filthy conditions in the athletes' village only days before the first athletes were due. Many high-profile athletes didn't participate in the Games, with some citing concerns over security and health standards that arose in the e buildup to the Oct. 3 opening. Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal separately told a news conference he would launch a police investigation once the complaints reach his department. “The rules are well defined,” he said when asked if he would examine cases of alleged wrongdoing. India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meanwhile urged the government Saturday to unveil the statutory “terms of reference” of the various investigations that are scheduled to start. In a poll published Saturday in the Times of India, 86 percent of respondents said the corruption charges should be fully investigated and the guilty brought to book. Organizing Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi was widely blamed by the Indian media for the fiasco preceding the Games. Prime Minister Singh and Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the governing Congress party, appeared to snub Kalmadi by not inviting him to their homes when they met with Indian medal winners Friday and Saturday. Kalmadi was jeered by thousands of Indian spectators at both the opening and closing ceremonies of the New Delhi Games. India finished second in the medal standings behind Australia, overhauling England for No. 2 spot on the final day of competition and winning more medals than ever. Australia won 74 gold medals, India 38 and England 37.
