Ker Sports min says previous LDF govt facilitated failed Messi event

Kollam, Keralam Sports Minister O J Janeesh on Monday alleged that the previous LDF government and his predecessor V Abdurahiman facilitated the failed football event featuring the Lionel Messi-led Argentina team, and said the SIT investigation would also look into their role.

Speaking to reporters about the police Special Investigation Team probing alleged irregularities in the event, Janeesh claimed Abdurahiman had initiated discussions based on unauthorised emails and that Sports Department officials subsequently intervened on the government's instructions.

"Wasn't it the then sports minister himself who initiated all these discussions based on unauthorised emails and the like. So, under instructions from the government, officials did intervene. That is why there was a stage where all government facilities were provided," he said.

Janeesh said the issue was not merely whether the government had suffered any direct financial loss, but whether government machinery had been used to lend credibility to Reporter Broadcasting Company , the sponsor of the event now being probed by the SIT.

"When it is said that the government suffered no financial loss, where does the corruption actually lie? The corruption lies in giving a private sponsor the opportunity to misuse all government machinery," he charged.

Government involvement, including claims that Messi would attend the event, meetings at the level of the Chief Secretary and the involvement of district collectors and police machinery, helped create credibility for the event and an opportunity for people to invest money, he said.

"When such a directive is given, the authorities hold responsibility," Janeesh added.

Janeesh said the Sports Department had conducted an inquiry and examined the files before handing them over to the Chief Minister seeking an SIT investigation.

Chief Minister V D Satheesan subsequently directed the Home Department to constitute the SIT, he said.

Janeesh said the previous government and the Left Front had publicly promoted the event.

He also said an agency that handled lighting arrangements at the Greater Cochin Development Authority stadium in Kochi, where the proposed match was to be held, had complained that it had not been paid its dues.

"To my knowledge, the agency that handled the light arrangements at the GCDA stadium has not been paid. They came to us clearly and submitted a complaint. They haven't been paid even a single rupee," he said.

Asked about claims that crores of rupees had been spent on the event, Janeesh said, "crores and lakhs were simply collected; they were not spent."

On whether GCDA officials would also come under the SIT probe in view of alleged irregularities in the e-tender and tripartite agreement, Janeesh said the agency was controlled by the Left Front when the event-related discussions and announcements were made.

"At that time, GCDA was led by the Left Front. The government was led by the Left Front. All these discussions were conducted politically and announced politically by the Left Front," he said.

Janeesh said the Left Front had a responsibility to answer questions regarding the event and the circumstances in which it was promoted.

Meanwhile, the minister visited Lal Bahadur Shastri Corporation Stadium and Olympian Suresh Babu Indoor Stadium here to assess plans for their renovation.

He said the state government was looking to improve sports infrastructure across Keralam and, if public funds were insufficient, it would explore private participation and joint ventures for the purpose.

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