An Indian court on Wednesday barred the disgraced head of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games from attending the opening of the London Olympics, saying his presence would be an "embarrassment". The ruling came after Suresh Kalmadi, who faces charges of conspiracy, forgery and abuse of power, was told by a court earlier this month he could attend the ceremony if he provided a bond of one million rupees ($18,000).
The permission provoked uproar, with Indian Sports Minister Ajay Maken insisting the seriousness of the allegations against Kalmadi meant he should not go to the Olympics at all. Kalmadi headed the organising committee for the Delhi Commonwealth Games - an event supposed to showcase India's rise, but instead overshadowed by venue delays, shoddy construction and costs tripling to at least $6.0 billion.
He was arrested and jailed in April last year for his role in awarding multi-million-dollar contracts for the Delhi event, but freed on bail in January. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday banned him from leaving India to be at Friday's Olympic opening ceremony.
"His participation (at the opening) can cause embarrassment to the country," judges A. K. Sikri and Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said in their order. "National interest is the prime concern." But the court order did not stop Kalmadi leaving the country after the opening ceremony and attending the rest of the Games. India's anti-corruption watchdog, the Central Vigilance Commission, received complaints alleging up to $1.8 billion of Delhi Commonwealth Games money was misused.