M A I N   N E W S

Tatra Truck Deal
CBI registers case, searches 4 places
Tribune News Service

General confirms bribe offer Army Chief General VK Singh (pic) has told the CBI that he was offered a bribe by a lobbyist to clear the supply of a tranche of “substandard vehicle” for the force. In the letter to the agency, Singh did not give details of the amount or the name of the person who made the offer

Govt’s stand n Defence Minister AK Antony had had sanctioned a CBI investigation into a case relating to BEML on February 21 this year n Records show that the vigilance wings of the Ministry of Defence and the BEML are examining the matter

New Delhi, March 30
As the CBI today registered a case on the supply of all-terrain Tatra trucks for the Army, the government said Defence Minister AK Antony had sanctioned a probe into “a case relating” to Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) on February 21 this year.

The government, it seems, wanted to convey that the minister acted much before Army Chief General VK Singh bribe allegations hit headlines on March 26. The General had alleged that he was offered a bribe of Rs 14 crore by a lobbyist for okaying a deal for 600 “substandard” trucks.

The CBI after registering a case against unnamed officials of the Defence Ministry, Army, BEML and Vectra for alleged criminal conspiracy to cheat and indulge in corrupt practices, carried out searches at four places in Delhi, Noida and Bangalore.

The FIR also names Vectra group chairman Ravi Rishi, a majority stake-holder in Tatra, and the CBI is looking into purchases made 1997 onwards. A contract to supply the trucks was renegotiated that year. Rishi, who is in Delhi for the Defence Expo, was called for questioning.

The government said Antony had asked the Secretary, Defence Production, to look into a complaint of alleged irregularities in the purchase of vehicles by state-owned BEML in 2009. “Records show that the vigilance wings of the Ministry of Defence and the BEML are examining the matter and there are also correspondence between the CBI and the Chief Vigilance Officer of the BEML,” an official release said. It claimed Antony gave a sanction for a CBI probe into a case relating to BEML on February 21 this year.

In 2009, Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had forwarded the complaint of D Hanumanthapa, president of the Karnataka wing of All India Federation of SC, ST, Backward Class, Minority Employees Welfare Association, against the BEML to Antony. The minister forwarded the compliant the very next day.

The names of Tatra and Bharat Earth Movers Limited were taken by the Army in a press release issued by it on March 5, alleging that retiredLt Gen Tejinder Singh had offered a bribe on behalf of Tatra and Vectra Limited. Earlier, CBI Director AP Singh had examined a report forwarded by a joint director of the agency who had opined that a case could be made out and a thorough investigation was required, sources added.

Under fire, BEML chairman VRS Natarajan today defended the Tatra-Vectra trucks calling them the best in the world. The Army uses these trucks to ferry missiles, rocket launchers and transport vehicles. Comparing these trucks to ordinary lorries made by Indian companies, the BEML head pointed out that the lorries have a fixed axle, while Tatra comes with a flexible one and is an all-terrain vehicle. “It is not comparable to any other model because of its superiority. You can’t compare an ambassador (car) with a Benz (Mercedes),” said the BEML chief.