NEW DELHI, Apr 11:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today registered a preliminary inquiry into Army chief General V K Singh’s allegation that he was offered a Rs 14 crore bribe by an equipment lobbyist to clear ‘sub-standard’ trucks for the Army.
“Preliminary inquiry has been registered into the Army chief’s bribe allegation. General V K Singh sent his written complaint yesterday,” the CBI sources said.
Gen Singh, in an interview last month, alleged that he was offered a Rs 14 crore bribe to clear a deal for purchase of ‘sub-standard’ Tatra trucks for the Army in September 2010 and he had informed Defence Minister A K Antony about it.
The Defence Minister had recommended a CBI probe into the allegation made by the Army chief.
Gen Singh had named Lt Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh in his complaint.
However, Tejinder Singh has refuted the allegations and filed a defamation suit against the Army chief and four other officials.
After the Army chief’s allegations, the CBI had conducted searches in Delhi and Bangalore after registering a case in the alleged irregularities in Tatra-Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) deal under which all-terrain vehicles were supplied to the Army.
The probe agency has ‘examined’ three BEML officials in connection with the alleged irregularities in the procurement of Tatra trucks.
BEML’s finance and vigilance officers were ‘examined’ by the CBI sleuths to understand the deal and other related issues.
They were asked the reasons behind BEML’s signing the contract with Tatra Sipox UK, which was not the original manufacturer, in 1997 and its subsequent renewal in 2003.
The deal was in alleged violation of defence procurement rules that stipulate purchases should be done directly from original equipment manufacturer only, the sources added.
The BEML officials were also asked about payments modes adopted for Tatra Sipox UK like the change of currency from dollar to euro.
The agency has also questioned Ravi Rishi, who owns the Vectra Group and has a majority stake in the Tatra trucks, in connection with the case.
BEML buys Tatra parts from Vectra and assembles trucks in Bangalore that were then sold to the Army.
Gen Singh had questioned the procurement process and the maintenance facilities related to Tatra trucks. (UNI)
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