CBI storms houses of Tatra scam suspects

Posted on by Listify Me

By
A. Srinivasa Rao


PUBLISHED:

23:21 GMT, 18 April 2012

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UPDATED:

00:05 GMT, 19 April 2012

Army chief General V.K. Singh’s allegation that a nexus of retired army officers and arms’ suppliers was influencing defence deals received more credence on Wednesday when Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) teams raided the premises of two former armymen.

One of them was brought to the agency headquarters for questioning. The houses of Brig (retd) P. C. Das and Col (retd) Anil Datta at Delhi’s Vasant Kunj and Noida respectively were raided.

The Noida residence of Anil Mansharamani, who worked for Tatra Sipox in India at the behest of its owner, Ravi Rishi, was also stormed. Das was grilled at the CBI headquarters.

The home of retired Colonel Anil Dutta during CBI raid in connection with the irregularities in supply of Tatra vehicles to the army, in Noida

‘Our probe is moving in the right direction and there will be some arrests very soon,’ an agency official said. ‘Evidence has emerged against some people and we are strengthening our case against them,’ he added. According to the officials, General Singh has given the CBI an appointment and his statement to the agency could be significant.

He is likely to speak not only on the bribery allegation he had levelled against Lt-Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh, but also on the nexus of Rishi and retired armymen in pushing Tatra trucks for the army.

VRS Natarajan, chairmancum- managing director (CMD) of the public sector Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) which has been purchasing Tatra trucks in parts from Tatra Sipox, was questioned again on Wednesday for seven hours.

The Noida residence of Anil Mansharamani, who worked for Tatra Sipox in India at the behest of its owner, Ravi Rishi, was also stormed. Das was grilled at the CBI headquarters

The CBI’s Bangalore Zone is set to register a case against Natarajan after it received sanction from the defence ministry to investigate him. CBI sources said it would be the first criminal probe against him as Natarajan’s questioning till now is officially ‘clarifications sought from him’. Agency officials are tightlipped about the nature of the case.

One of the complaints against Natarajan is that he ‘fudged accounts’ and ‘inflated’ figures to get ‘Navratna status’ for BEML.

The central government accords Navratna status to a Public Sector Unit depending on its turnover. Such a firm enjoys financial and administrative autonomy, which is not given to non-Navratna PSUs. ‘Natarajan is a savvy networker who promoted himself and his firm by all means. The very fact that he has been BEML’s CMD for close to 10 years is an indication of his influence,’ an official said. Natarajan refused to speak to Mail Today when he was leaving the CBI premises after daylong questioning.

He scurried to his car as he was asked for clarifications on the allegations against him. CBI sources said he had defended all charges against him and said BEML was manufacturer as well as procurer of defence equipment and neither he nor his firm broke any rules in the Tatra deal. Das and Datta also insisted their relation with Tatra Sipox was ‘legitimate’.

CBI officials comes out after raid at the residence of retired Brigadier PC Das at Vasant Kunj in connection with the irregularities in supply of Tatra vehicles to the army, in New Delhi

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh CID’s investigation into the allegations and counter allegations made by Natarajan and K. Raghava Reddy, chairman of BEML’s joint venture partner Midwest Granite, on cheating and misappropriation of funds will be completed in two or ‘Arrests very soon’ as officials crack down on former armymen three weeks.

CID additional director general S.V. Ramanamurthy said the investigation was initially handled by the Hyderabad central crime station in 2008, when BEML complained first about certain irregularities committed by its joint venture partner. In 2010, Reddy submitted a representation to counter BEML’s charges and it was referred to the CID’s legal wing.

According to industry sources, Natarajan was overenthusiastic about signing the joint venture agreement with Midwest Granite, which was not even a listed company

Based on its report, the CID took up the investigation in August 2011.

Under the joint venture, BEML was supposed to be responsible for supply of equipment, spares and services for mining, whereas Midwest Granite was to take care of exploration, planning, development and production.

BEML sources said the partners fell off later because of certain unauthorised transactions and mismanagement by Midwest Granite nominees.

According to industry sources, Natarajan was overenthusiastic about signing the joint venture agreement with Midwest Granite, which was not even a listed company. ‘Apparently, he thought he could manage a private company and reap rich benefits,’ a stock analyst said.

 

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