TNI Bureau: A Delhi Court dealing with the Commonwealth Games corruption case, observed that Rs 71.73 lakh was paid for actress Shilpa Shetty’s performance in the closing ceremony of 2008 CWG Youth Games at Pune to fulfill sacked Organising Committee (OC) Chief Suresh Kalmadi’s wish.

The court on Monday observed that promoters of Faridabad-based Gem International, PD Arya and AK Madan, had paid Rs 71.73 lakh to M/s Wizraft International Entertainment Pvt Ltd through cheque on October 30, 2008 for Shetty’s performance to make Kalmadi happy.

Arya and Madan, who were representing Swiss Timing, which was illegally awarded the contract to install Timing, Scoring and Results (TSR) system for the 2010 CWG at inflated rates, are the accused in the corruption case. They were associated with the 2008 CWG Youth Games.

The court has framed charges against both Arya and Madan along with Kalmadi and nine others under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act for criminal conspiracy, forgery, cheating and other offences.