NEW DELHI : Vectra Group Chief Ravinder Rishi, facing CBI probe for alleged irregularities in supply of all-terrain Tatra trucks, has been allowed by a Delhi court to travel to the UK for four weeks for treatment.
Special CBI Judge Ravinder Kaur permitted Rishi to travel to the UK for four weeks from June 2 for treatment of his liver ailment after the agency said it had no objection to it.
57-year-old Rishi, a British national, is facing a CBI probe over alleged irregularities in supply of Tatra trucks to public sector Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) by his firm Tatra-Sipox UK.
Rishi had moved the court for its permission to travel to the UK for four weeks saying he had earlier travelled abroad from April 21 this year for medical tests and had returned to India on May 18 after the Delhi High Court’s order.
He had said that during his stay in London, he had undergone various medical tests which confirmed that he is suffering from acute liver problem and as per the medical advise, he has to undergo the procedure of “ultra sound guided liver biopsy” scheduled at a clinic in London on June 5.
The court, while allowing Rishi to travel to the UK for four weeks, referred to the High Court’s order which had said that he was entitled to have treatment from a medical expert of his choice.
“Admittedly, earlier also the accused was permitted to travel to UK in terms of the order of the High Court referred above whereby it is observed by High Court that ‘the applicant /accused is entitled to have treatment of a serious ailment like the present one from an expert of his choice’.
“In view of such order of the High Court, the applicant/ accused is permitted to travel to only to United Kingdom for a period of four weeks from June 2, 2013…,” the court said and also imposed certain conditions on him.
The court asked Rishi to furnish his contact numbers and address prior to leaving India and also asked him to report to the CBI’s investigating officer within four weeks of his return. It also said he would neither tamper with the evidence nor try to influence any witness in any manner.
The Vectra chief has been quizzed several times by the CBI in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Tatra truck deal as he has a substantial stake in Tatra Sipox UK.
CBI has lodged a case naming Rishi and unnamed officials of the Defence Ministry, Army and BEML for alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The agency is probing alleged irregularities in assigning of supply from the then Czechoslovakia-based Tatra, with which the agreement was originally signed in 1986, to Tatra-Sipox UK owned by Rishi in 1997 showing it as original equipment manufacturer and fully-owned subsidiary of the Czech company. (AGENCIES)
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