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‘Tainted’ IAS couple linked to Ravi Rishi in Tatra scam?

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TNN | Apr 22, 2012, 01.53AM IST

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Tatra scam is examining a connection between Madhya Pradesh IAS couple Arvind Joshi and Tinoo Joshi, who are facing graft charges, and London-based businessman Ravi Rishi.

The CBI is looking at Rishi’s Vectra Group acquiring maximum shares in Greater Noida’s Indian Exposition Mart Limited (IEML) at the time when Tinoo Joshi was posted as Development Commissioner Handicrafts in the ministry of textiles.

Sources said the agency is scrutinizing the bank accounts of the IAS couple, who were suspended by the MP government after the Income Tax department recovered more than Rs 3 crore cash during a raid at their house in February, 2010.

CBI is examining transaction details of 70 bank accounts of the suspended IAS couple and an official said “All entries in their accounts and related transaction details are being looked at. We may question the IAS couple in this regard”.

“Acquisition of majority shares in IEML by the Vectra Group is under the scanner. There are allegations that role of Joshi was crucial role in this acquisition,” said the source. The agency recently conducted raids at IEML in Greater Noida and have recovered certain documents in this regard.

The agency is investigating Rishi, a majority stakeholder in Tatra Sipox (UK), for alleged irregularities in the purchase of more than 6,000 Tatra trucks after Army chief Gen V K Singh claimed that he was offered a Rs 14 crore bribe on behalf of the businessman. The CBI is also taking assistance of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax department in this regard.

The CBI may also soon question Rishi again after having already sought assistance of the Interpol to get details about certain companies – allegedly associated with the NRI businessman – that are based in Slovakia, Czech Republic, the UK and Liechtenstein.

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Skeletons tumble out of Tatra-tainted Natarajan’s closet

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FRIDAY, 20 APRIL 2012 00:16 PNS | NEW DELHI HITS: 263 – The Pioneer

Under VRS Natarajan, PSU giant BEML was involved in large scale irregularities that went beyond Tatra truck deal. The CBI on Thursday registered an FIR against him for cheating and criminal conspiracy in hiring a consultancy firm without tendering process.

The noose is fast tightening around Natarajan, who has been Chairman and Managing Director of defence PSU BEML for almost a decade, with the CBI set to more cases following sanction for prosecution granted by the Defence Ministry.

At least six complaints of alleged financial misdemeanour by Natarajan is under CBI scanner.

After registering a case against Natarajan and Director of Coimbatore-based Astral Consultants CS Srivatsan for allegedly tweaking tenders to favour the private firm by cheating BEML, the CBI conducted searches at the official and residential premises of the duo at Bangalore and Coimbatore.

Natarajan, Srivatsan and other unnamed persons have been booked under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and certain provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The case related to award of contract for the implementation of Enterprises Resource Planning Project in the public sector undertaking during 2004-09.

According to the CBI FIR, Natarajan and Srivatsan were part of alleged criminal conspiracy to award work worth Rs40 crore to Astral Consultants.

“It is alleged that the accused persons were parties to a criminal conspiracy entered amongst themselves at Bangalore and other places during 2004-09 to cheat M/s BEML in the matter of award of different works relating to the implementation of Enterprises Resource Planning Project in M/s BEML causing wrongful loss to M/s BEML and wrongful gain to others,” a CBI spokesperson said here.

Teams of CBI officials reached the Bangalore-residence of Natarajan, residence of Srivatsan, besides Coimbatore office of Astral and took into their possession some “incriminating” documents related to the tendering process and communications exchanged with the company, CBI sources said.

Natarajan is already facing CBI heat for his suspected role in a separate case regarding alleged irregularities in the procurement and supply of Tatra all terrain vehicles to Army. Natarajan has not been named so far in the Tatra procurement scandal case but the agency suspects that he was the mastermind of the entire scam.

The agency suspects that Natarajan in collusion with Vectra boss Ravi Rishi renewed the deal between BEML and UK-based Tatra Sipox in 2003, four years before the same was to be renewed, for supply of the all terrain vehicles to the Army. Tatra Sipox, according to the CBI FIR, was an intermediary firm and not an original equipment manufacturer. The original manufacturer of the Tatra trucks is Tatra Venus and defence procurement rules provide for procurement from OEMs only.

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Tatra scam: Kovai firm raided

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Tamil Nadu | Posted on Apr 20, 2012 at 09:51am IST IBN Live

COIMBATORE: CBI sleuths on Thursday raided the premises of an IT company in the city over alleged irregularities in the contracts awarded to it by the state-owned Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML).
It may be noted that BEML chairman and managing director V R S Natarajan was recently interrogated by the CBI in connection with the procurement of below-par Tatra trucks for the Army. The Bangalore-based BEML was involved in the assembling the trucks, after the parts were procured from Czech truck manufacturer, Tatra. These trucks were later sold to the Army.
The premises of Coimbatore-based Astral Consulting Limited and the residence of the company’s director, C S Srivatsan, were raided, the CBI said in a release issued on Thursday.
The agency also conducted simultaneous raids at the office and residences of Natarajan in Bangalore. Thursday’s raids were meant to probe the various contracts awarded to Astral Consulting for implementation of the Enterprises Resource Planning Project of the BMEL.
The CBI also registered a case against Natarajan and Srivatsan under the Prevention of Corruption Act. “It is alleged that the accused persons were parties to a criminal conspiracy entered amongst themselves at Bangalore and other places during 2004-09 to cheat M/s BEML in the matter of award of different works relating to the implementation of Enterprises Resource Planning Project in M/s BEML, causing wrongful loss to M/s BEML and wrongful gain to others,” the CBI said.
It has its registered head office on North Huzur Road and a branch at Krishnaswamy Nagar, Ramanathapuram. Since the contracts were awarded to the company at highly inflated rates by BEML, the PSU suffered a wrongful loss of `40.67 crore.

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Agni V ballistic missile test successful

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Congratulations – Agni – 5 Team

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Agni V ballistic missile test successful – Times of India
19 Apr 2012, 0839 hrs IST, AGENCIES
India on Thursday (April 19) conducted the maiden test of it’s indigenously developed nuclear capable “Agni V” ballistic missile with a strike range of over 5,000 km, from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast near Dhamara, Orissa. The three stage, solid propellant missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from the launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at about 0805 hours, defence sources said.

Soon after the maiden launch took place, Agni V witnessed a smooth and perfect vertical lift-off from the launcher and analysis was done to assess its health parameters after retrieval of date from all the sophisticated wide range of communication network systems, they said. The test-fire of the first of its kind missile, which was originally scheduled for yesterday, had to be postponed at the last moment due to bad weather marked by rains and heavy lightning, the sources said.

The trial of Agni V, considered to be of the category of Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), demonstrates giant strides taken by India in its integrated missile development programme. Only the United States, Russia, France and China possess the capability to operate an ICBM at present. “The sleek missile, within a few seconds of its blast-off from the Island launch pad roared majestically into the sky leaving behind it’s trajectory, a trail of thin orange and white smoke before disappearing,” said an eyewitness to the launch, conducted amid light drizzle.

The surface-to-surface Agni V is capable of striking a target more than 5,000 km away. It is about 17 meter long and two metre wide with launch weight of around 50 tonnes. The sophisticated missile can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne. After achieving successful results from the first development trial of Agni IV, which has a strike range of more than 3,500 km, from the same launch pad on November 15, 2011, preparation for Agni V test had gathered momentum.

Scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) associated with this project were busy for a couple of years to test launch the new missile in a possible suitable time. Unlike other missiles of indigenously built Agni series, the latest one- Agni V- is the most advanced version having several new technologies incorporated in it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.

India has at present in its armoury of Agni series, Agni 1 with 700 km range, Agni 2 with 2,000 km range, Agni 3 and Agni 4, with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 km range. Today’s trial was aimed at putting India into an exclusive club of nations possessing such long-range ballistic missile technologies. DRDO Chief V K Saraswat had recently said the missile was being integrated at various facilities for the test launch.

The maiden test-fire was witnessed by military officials, scientists and other agencies which participated in its development. DRDO plans to conduct more such tests of the missile over the next one year after studying and analysing the parameters achieved in each subsequent trial. On the timeline fixed for fully developing Agni V, Saraswat had said another year of testing would be involved.

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Tatra deal: CBI raids houses of two retired Army officers

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Neeraj Chauhan, TNN | Apr 19, 2012, 03.55AM IST

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation raided residences of two retired Army officers in connection with the Tatra-Vectra deal while investigators are also pursuing leads pointing to a nexus between Vectra head Ravi Rishi and the top brass of Indian public sector firm BEML.

The CBI on Wednesday carried out raids at the residences of Brigadier (retd) P C Das in Vasant Kunj and Colonel (retd) Anil Dutta in Noida. Das was also questioned at the CBI headquarters while the residence of a Vectra executive Anil Mansaramani at Noida was also searched.

CBI sources said they suspect Das and Dutta as having worked as conduits for Vectra head Rishi who is a London-based businessman. The agency feels that the two retired officers were liasioning for Vectra that is a crucial link in supply of Tatra trucks to the Army that is now under a graft cloud.

CBI hopes to make more progress when Army chief Gen V K Singh meets investigators after April 19 and his statement is recorded. The chief had set the cat among the pigeons by alleging that he was offered a Rs 14 crore bribe for the “underperforming” vehicles.

The agency questioned BEML chairman V R S Natarajan for almost six hours on Wednesday and sources said the probe was at a delicate stage as definite leads have emerged regarding BEML and Rishi in the Tatra trucks procurement process.

CBI reportedly asked Natarajan if he tried to verify, when BEML signed a contract with Tatra Sipox (UK), if any of the parts for making Tatra trucks were available with another company in India, said sources. Natarajan was also asked if BEML tried to find out the nature of Tatra Sipox (UK) contracts with other countries on supplies.

Natarajan and Rishi have refuted the allegations of any wrong doing.

Vectra, which has controlling stake in Tatra Sipox UK, and is at the centre of CBI investigations into alleged irregularities in the supply of all terrain vehicle components to the public sector BEML which assembles and supplies these vehicles to the Army. Along with Natarajan, Rishi was questioned for the ninth time on Wednesday.

It was in the light of information provided by Natarajan and Rishi, the agency found it necessary to search residences of the retired Army officials and the Vectra employee to try and gather documents that could help the agency. sources said. The CBI is looking for a link between Lt Gen (Retd) Tejinder Singh – who the army chief claims offered him a bribe — with Rishi through the two retired army officers.

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Blunders, bungling in NTRO, says SC

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Indian Express

Krishnadas Rajagopal : New Delhi, Tue Apr 17 2012, 00:50 hrs

The Supreme Court used terms like “blunders committed” and “bungling up” to describe the goings-on in the the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), the government’s ultra-secretive technical intelligence wing under the court’s scanner following allegations of corruption and financial irregularities.
A Bench of Justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad said in ab open court on Monday that the government has filed its third and latest status report. The hearing was based on a PIL filed by V K Mittal, a scientist who had pioneered the formation of the NTRO but later pulled out after being “disgusted” by the agency’s functioning.

Referring to the status report filed in a sealed cover by Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval, the SC informed Mittal’s lawyer, Jayant Bhushan, that “some progress has been made and they are seriously considering some inquiries and even termination of some officers after consulting the Prime Minister’s Office”.

“So far three reports have been filed. These reports go into the affairs of the NTRO… they have pointed blunders committed by these people and where they have committed the blunders. Steps are being taken, they say, and amounts lost should be adjusted,” the Bench observed.

“We will give them time till July 30. If by that time they don’t comply, we will make them comply. On July 30, we will give the matter a final look. Further hearing is not required. There has been bungling,” the court said.

The court had decided to keep an eye on the NTRO after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) exposed the alleged irregularities involving top NTRO bosses in a special audit report tagged “top secret”.

The apex court had issued notices to the Union of India through the Prime Minister’s Office, Central Vigilance Commission, NTRO through its chairman, and the CAG in August 2011.

Created in 2004 under the Prime Minister’s Office, the NTRO essentially deals with missile monitoring, satellite and airborne imagery, cyber patrolling and security, cyber offensive operations, communication support systems, as well as cryptology.

Mittal had approached the SC after the Delhi High Court on April 16, 2011 refused to take any action, leaving it to the CAG “to proceed in accordance with law”. In his petition, Mittal submitted that mere disciplinary proceedings against the errant officers of NTRO was not enough as the “misdeeds of those officers warrant initiation of criminal proceedings”.

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Money laundering in Tatra truck deal: ED tightens noose on Ravi Rishi

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Jagran Post -Posted on: 13 Apr 2012, 12:21 PM

New Delhi: After being interrogated by the CBI for his alleged role in the Tatra truck deal, the NRI businessman Ravi Rishi now has to face the heat from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is tightening its noose around him.

The ED has filed a case against Rishi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is mulling to recover the blackmoney from the accused. After going through the FIR filed by the CBI and the other documents, the ED officials have now decided to look into the case from the perspective of alleged money laundering.

According to sources, the links of the Tatra truck deal have been traced to England, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Earlier, in order to ascertain the original price of the supplies and detection of blackmoney earned by Rishi during the sale of trucks to the BEML, the CBI had sought help from the ED.

On the lines of the CBI, the ED has also made Rishi, BEML, Army and Defense Ministry officials as accused in the money laundering case.

Rishi has been accused of entering into a conspiracy with the officials of the Defence Ministry, Army and BEML in signing an agreement with England based company Tatra Sipox. As per the agreement, Tatra Sipox had purchased components of trucks from Czech Republic and Slovakia and supplied it to BEML at double price.

Later, the BEML manufactured trucks from these parts and supplied them to the Army which in return made the payment to Tatra Sipox.

According to the investigating agency, a share of the blackmoney earned by Rishi in the deal was distributed to the officials of the Army, Defence Ministry and BEML. The ED is now looking for the officials involved in the scam to freeze their properties.

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Tatra case: Rishi’s money trail leads CBI to UK

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CNN-IBN India | Updated Apr 08, 2012 at 09:46pm IST

New Delhi: The CBI is looking into the payments made by defence PSU BEML to Tatra Sipox UK for the supply of all terrain trucks and plans to send judicial request to the United Kingdom seeking details of its financial transactions and ownerships.
The agency suspects that payments from BEML were actually going to a tax haven, CBI sources said, adding that they are probing into it but added that the investigations are in preliminary stage.
The sources said at present they are likely to send Letters Rogatory to the UK seeking information on financial transactions of Tatra Sipox UK in which Vectra Chairman Ravinder Rishi has been a Director, owning substantial shares.
The agency will also demand details of Tatra Sipox UK’s association with Czech-republic based Tatra a.s, they said.
Rishi has refuted allegations of any wrong doing and is said to be co-operating with the agency during his questioning sessions during last week, the sources said.
The CBI is now focusing on the role of officials of Defence Ministry, BEML and army and may question them in connection with the case soon, they said.
The sources said it was in 1997 that Tatra Sipox UK signed the truck supply deal with BEML which was in alleged violation of defence procurement rules which say that procurement should be done directly from original equipment manufacturer only.
The CBI has alleged that since Tatra Sipox UK was not the original manufacturer of these all terrain trucks, the rule that defence procurements should be made from original
manufacturer was violated.
Meanwhile, Czech Republic-based Tatra a.s. had said in a statement that it supplies for India various truck components (“CKDs”) that make up approximately 30 to 35 per cent of a complete vehicle.
“The remaining components are made or supplied by other manufacturers or by BEML, an Indian government controlled company that also assembles the Tatra branded vehicles and then sells and delivers them to customers within India under license agreement for Tatra a.s,” it had said in a statement.
It had also stated that neither Ravi Rishi nor his investment company Vectra Limited, control or have controlled — directly or indirectly — Tatra a.s. “The British company Vectra Limited is a minority stakeholder in Tatra holdings and in principle holds one of
the four votes.
“Nonetheless, Tatra will request from Mr Rishi and Vectra Limited an explanation of the information about any initiated investigation of him and Vectra Ltd by Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as it relates to sales of products branded with the ‘Tatra’ name,” it had said in a statement.

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Tatra deal: CBI summons BEML officers

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CNN-IBN India | Updated Apr 09, 2012 at 03:54pm IST

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday summoned Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) officers in connection with the Tatra deal controversy. The officers were being questioned at the Delhi office of the investigative agency.
This is the first time BEML officers have been quizzed in connection with the case.
The Tatra truck deal is at the heart of Army Chief General VK Singh’s allegations that he was offered a bribe.
The CBI on Wednesday raided the Bangalore office of BEML and seized the records related to the Tatra trucks deal, sources claimed.

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Tatra deal: CBI to meet General VK Singh, ex-Army officer

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India | Updated Apr 12, 2012 at 04:50pm IST –IBN Live

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought an appointment with Army Chief General VK Singh on his letter detailing the Rs 14 crore bribery offer to him by a former Army officer to clear the purchase of sub-standard all-terrain vehicles for the forces. CBI officers are likely to meet General Singh on Friday as the Army Chief is not in New Delhi.
Lieutenant General (retired) Tejinder Singh, who allegedly offered the bribe on behalf of Tatra trucks, will also face the CBI officers after the investigating agency meets the Army Chief. The CBI will try to get more details from the Army Chief on the allegations levelled by him against Lt Gen Tejinder Singh.
General VK Singh will be asked why he delayed complaining about Lt Gen Tejinder Singh’s alleged bribe offer. The Army Chief would also be asked to explain why no immediate action was taken by him on the bribe offer.

Senior CBI officers involved with the investigation feel that the matter involves the Army Chief and another very senior Army officer, and so they should study all the details of the case and proceed accordingly. They have also sought the opinion of Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati on the allegations.
On March 26, in an interview to English daily, the Army Chief had alleged that he was offered a bribe to clear a tranche of Tatra trucks. The Army Chief and a press release by the Army Headquarters hinted at the involvement of Lt Gen Tejinder Singh.
General Singh said that he had informed Defence minister AK Antony about the bribe offer. Antony ordered a CBI inquiry into the allegation after the matter came to light.
Refuting the allegations Lt Gen Tejinder Singh filed a defamation case in the Patiala House against General Singh and four other senior Army officers. The court will give its order on April 21 whether or not to summon General VK Singh.
Besides General VK Singh, he has also named Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General SK Singh, Lieutenant General BS Thakur (Director General Military Intelligence), Major General SL Narshiman (Additional Director General of Public Information) and Lieutenant Colonel Hitten Sawhney.