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New details emerge on Tatra truck deal

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THE HINDU

NEW DELHI, April 2, 2012

PRAVEEN SWAMI,VINAY KUMAR

CBI questions London millionaire again

Even as Central Bureau of Investigation detectives have begun questioning Ravi Rishi, the London-based millionaire businessman at the heart of the showdown between the Defence Ministry and Chief of the Army Staff V.K. Singh, fresh details have begun to emerge of the truck deal that precipitated the crisis.

Rajan Mukherjee, the general manager of West Bengal-based Ural India, has told The Hindu that General Singh — then General Officer-Commanding of the Eastern Command — had requested the firm to provide trucks for testing in 2008, after Tatra trucks sold by Mr. Rishi’s firm “miserably failed 17 Mountain for performing Quick Reaction Team and reconnaissance duties in [the] super-high altitude areas of northern Sikkim.”

“Defects”

“During the trials,” Mr. Mukherjee said in an e-mail to The Hindu, “the Tatra vehicle developed defects in engine assembly, whereas Ural’s engine performance was satisfactory even after running about 600 km at high altitude.”

Mr. Rishi owns Vectra, a conglomerate which has a controlling stake in Czech and Slovak-based specialist truck firm Tatra, which has supplied the Indian Army since 1986.

Rashi Verma, a Joint Secretary at the Defence Ministry, had said last week that the government had “never received any complaint from the armed forces” — a statement which suggests the Eastern Command either chose not to pass on its problems with the Tatra to the army headquarters in New Delhi, or that its reports were suppressed by higher authorities.

In an exclusive interview to The Hindu published on March 26, General Singh had said he was offered a Rs. 14-crore bribe, which, it emerged, was linked to an officer allegedly representing Tatra to clear a consignment of 600 trucks.

There is no information available so far if Ural India’s trucks were the sole platform tested by the Eastern Command in Northern Sikkim and if so, why. Ural is co-owned by Kolkata-based magnate J.K. Saraf, who knew Gen. Singh during his tenure as Eastern Army Commander. There is no allegation, however, of the relationship having caused improper influence to be exercised.

Mr. Mukherjee’s claims, however, stand in stark contrast to earlier statements by VRS Natarajan, the head of public-sector giant BEML, which co-manufactures Tatra trucks in India. Mr. Natarajan claimed that Ural India’s trucks had been knocked out of competition in the ongoing trials, a claim Mr. Mukherjee has denied in his e-mail to The Hindu, adding that his firm is considering “appropriate action.”

The BEML chief, however, has since been backed by Defence Research and Development Organisation chief V.K. Saraswat, who said Tatra trucks were “outstanding.” Both BEML and Tatra have said they are considering legal action against General Singh, but provided no details of their course of action.

Army sources said the problem encountered in Sikkim could have been related to the Tatra truck’s engine, which is designed for rugged battlefield use, compromising high-altitude performance in return for lower risks of breakdown.

CBI officials refused comment on the issues they had discussed with Mr. Rishi, but the businessman has been barred from leaving India until further notice.

He was earlier questioned by the agency officials last week, soon after the CBI registered an FIR in the case. CBI officials were also poring over and analysing a number of documents seized during raids in Delhi, Noida and Bangalore.

Apart from Mr. Rishi, the FIR refers to unknown officials of BEML, Vectra and the Army. The case was registered under provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to criminal conspiracy to cheat and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The investigators are tasked with looking into all purchases of Tatra trucks made from 1997, when Vectra took control of Tatra. Since 1986, the Army has purchased some 7,000 Tatra trucks to transport troops and artillery.

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Tatra truck deal: Antony faces jail for neglect of duty?

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Manoj Mitta, TNN Apr 1, 2012, 06.13AM IST

NEW DELHI: Defence minister A K Antony had better come up with a “reasonable excuse” for waking up to corruption allegations in the Tatra deal two years after they had been brought to his notice. For, he would otherwise be liable for a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment up to six months.

The belated registration on Friday of a CBI case related to Tatra indicates Antony violated a legal duty when the bribery allegations had first been brought to his notice in writing by his party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2009 and then verbally by Army chief Gen V K Singh in 2010.

His prolonged failure to take action on the issue till it came out in the open flies in the face of the duty cast on “every person” by Section 39 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

When anybody becomes “aware of the commission of or of the intention of any other person to commit” any of the range of offences listed in Section 39 CrPC, he “shall … forthwith give information” to the nearest magistrate or police officer of “such commission or intention”.

The offences which every person is thus required to report immediately include those related to “illegal gratification”, which come under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Violations of Section 39 CrPC are punishable under Section 176 of the IPC, which prescribes a maximum six months is jail. It penalizes whoever is “legally bound” to give any information relating to “the commission of an offence or… for the purpose of preventing the commission of an offence”.

The only loophole available to Antony is to cite some “reasonable excuse” for his failure to refer the Tatra issue immediately to the CBI. But then, Section 39 CrPC is so stringently worded that it casts a “burden” on the person concerned to prove the reasonableness of his excuse for not performing his duty.

It is doubtful whether Antony can cite the absence of written complaint by Singh as a “reasonable excuse” for not acting promptly. The Army chief, too, is liable under Section 39 CrPC for assuming he can leave it to Antony to initiate the legal process. Since the law requires him to report the matter, he cannot cite his communication to his superior as a “reasonable excuse”.

Drdo

टाट्रा घोटाला: रवि के देश छोड़ने पर रोक

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नई दिल्ली [जागरण ब्यूरो]। रक्षा प्रदर्शनी में किसी बड़ी ‘डील’ की आस में भारत आए वेक्ट्रा समूह के मुखिया रवि ऋषि फिलहाल यहीं ‘सील’ हो गए हैं। सेनाध्यक्ष जनरल वीके सिंह के टाट्रा ट्रक खरीद में भ्रष्टाचार पर लाल झंडा उठाने के मामले की जांच में जुटी सीबीआइ ने ऋषि के देश छोड़ने पर रोक लगा दी है। जांच एजेंसी ने दो दौर की पूछताछ के बाद उनके खिलाफ लुक-आऊट नोटिस जारी कर दिया है।

सीबीआइ ने सभी हवाई अड्डों और देश से बाहर जाने वाले रास्तों पर अलर्ट जारी कर दिया है, ताकि ऋषि मुल्क छोड़कर न जा सकें। सूत्रों ने इस बात की पुष्टि की है कि वेक्ट्रा समूह प्रमुख से अगले एक-दो दिन में फिर पूछताछ संभव है। उल्लेखनीय है कि सीबीआइ ने टाट्रा ट्रक खरीद की जांच की प्राथमिकी में आरोपी बनाए गए ऋषि से शनिवार शाम को दूसरे दौर की पूछताछ की थी।

वेक्ट्रा समूह के प्रमुख से सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र के रक्षा उपक्रम बीईएमएल को 1997 से लेकर अब तक हुई टाट्रा ट्रकों की बिक्री के सौदों को लेकर सवाल किए जा रहे हैं। सीबीआइ के सवालों में जोर ट्रकों के मूल्य निर्धारण की प्रक्रिया को लेकर है। महत्वपूर्ण है कि वेक्ट्रा समूह पर टाट्रा ट्रकों को करीब दोगुने मार्जिन पर बीईएमएल को बेचने का आरोप है। सूत्रों के अनुसार मामले में बीईएमएल, रक्षा मंत्रालय और सेना के कुछ अधिकारियों से भी पूछताछ संभव है।

इस बीच रवि ऋषि खुद पर लगे आरोपों को दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण करार देते हुए सेना प्रमुख जनरल वीके सिंह द्वारा टाट्रा ट्रकों की गुणवत्ता के आरोपों को नकार चुके हैं। बीईएमएल के प्रमुख वीआरएस नटराजन ने टाट्रा ट्रकों को बेमिसाल बताते हुए सेनाध्यक्ष की ओर से उठाए गए सवालों को खारिज किया है।

विवाद की बुनियाद

सेनाध्यक्ष ने बीते सप्ताह एक साक्षात्कार में न केवल टाट्रा ट्रकों की गुणवत्ता पर सवाल खड़े किए थे, बल्कि अतिरिक्त ट्रकों की खरीद के प्रस्ताव को मंजूर करने के लिए एक सेवानिवृत्त अधिकारी द्वारा रिश्वत की पेशकश का भी रहस्योद्घाटन किया था। सेना प्रमुख ने सीबीआइ को भेजी शिकायत में आरोप लगाया था कि लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल [सेवानिवृत्त] तेजिंदर सिंह ने उन्हें ‘दोयम दर्जे’ के ट्रकों की खरीद को हरी झंडी दिखाने के बदले रिश्वत देने की पेशकश की थी। मामले में सेनाध्यक्ष ने कुछ और भी सबूत उपलब्ध कराने का जांच एजेंसी को भरोसा दिया है। हालांकि इन आरोपों को खारिज करते हुए लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल तेजिंदर सिंह सेना प्रमुख तथा कुछ अन्य वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों के खिलाफ मानहानि का मुकदमा दायर कर चुके हैं।

Drdo

टाट्रा चेक को भी चूना लगा चुके हैं रवि

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नई दिल्ली। भारतीय सेना के साथ टाट्रा डील में अपने को बेदाग बताने वाले अप्रवासी भारतीय रवि ऋषि पर चेक गणराज्य में अपराधिक मामला दर्ज है। उन पर गलत तरीके से टाट्रा चेक से लाभ कमाने का आरोप लगाया गया है। ट्रांसपेरेंसी इंटरनेशनल के अध्यक्ष ने ऋषि के खिलाफ मामला दर्ज कराया था। यह खुलासा एक अंग्रेजी समाचार में प्रकाशित रिपोर्ट में किया गया है।

टाट्रा समूह के मालिक रविंद्र कुमार ऋषि [रवि ऋषि] भारतीय मूल के ब्रिटिश व्यापारी हैं। ऋषि पर आरोप है कि उसने टाट्रा चेक [टाट्रा ट्रक के लिए उपकरण बनाने वाली मूल कंपनी ओईएम] के बोर्ड ऑफ डायरेक्टर में रहते हुए अपने पद का दुरुपयोग किया और कंपनी से ट्रकों को अनफिट कराकर उत्पादन लागत से कम मूल्य पर खरीदा और उन्हें भारी मुनाफे में भारत की बीईएमएल को बेच दिया। जिसका सीधा-सीधा लाभ उसकी स्वामित्व वाली कंपनी को मिला। इस डील के कारण टाट्रा चेक को 270 मिलियन चेक मुद्रा का भारी नुकसान उठाना पड़ा था।

उल्लेखनीय है कि टाट्रा चेक के टाट्रा सिपॉक्स [यूके] में विलय होने के बाद सन् 1994 ऋषि की कंपनी वेक्ट्रा समूह टाट्रा सिपॉक्स के साथ जुड़ गई।

एक दिन पहले ही समाचार पत्र ने भारतीय सेना में टाट्रा ट्रकों की खरीद पर घोटाले की खबर प्रकाशित थी। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया था कि टाट्रा ट्रकों की खरीद में गड़बड़ी की जानकारी संप्रग अध्यक्ष सोनिया गांधी, प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह, राष्ट्रपति प्रतिभा पाटिल और रक्षा मंत्री एके एंटनी को भी थी। सरकार में शामिल मंत्रियों द्वारा कई बार शिकायत दर्ज कराने के बावजूद एंटनी ने इस पर ध्यान नहीं दिया।

रिपोर्ट के अनुसार कर्नाटक के वरिष्ठ नेता डॉ. डी हनुमनथप्पा ने 26 अगस्त 2009 में कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष सोनिया गांधी को पत्र भेजा था। पत्र में उन्होंने आरोप लगाया था कि 6000 करोड़ रुपये का टाट्रा ट्रकों का ठेका सीधे उसका निर्माण करने वाली कंपनी को न देते हुए उसके ब्रिटिश एजेंट को दिया गया। बीईएमएल के सीएमडी वीआरएस नटराजन द्वारा दिया गया यह ठेका रक्षा खरीद से जुड़े दिशा-निर्देशों का सीधा-सीधा उल्लंघन है। पत्र मिलने के बाद सोनिया गांधी की तरफ से स्वास्थ्य मंत्री गुलाम नबी आजाद द्वारा एक पत्र रक्षा मंत्रालय को भेजा गया था। जिसके जवाब में 22 अक्टूबर को रक्षा मंत्रालय ने कहा था इस पर जांच चल रही है और रिपोर्ट आने में समय लग सकता है। सोनिया की तरफ से सांसद को कार्रवाई का भरोसा भी दिलाया गया।

इस मामले में सांसद से 2 सितंबर को शिकायत मिलने के बाद तत्कालीन कानून मंत्री वीरप्पा मोइली ने जवाब में संबंधित मंत्रालय के सामने मुद्दा उठाने की बात कही थी। सांसद ने बाद में 16 अक्टूबर को प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह और राष्ट्रपति प्रतिभा पाटिल को भी इस घोटाले की जानकारी दी।

Drdo

टाट्रा ट्रक घोटाले में एफआइआर, सीबीआइ के छापे

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नई दिल्ली [जागरण ब्यूरो]। सेना के लिए खरीदे गए, किसी भी तरह की जमीन पर चलने योग्य टाट्रा ट्रकों की खरीद में घोटाले के आरोप में सीबीआइ ने केस दर्ज कर लिया है। इसके लिए टाट्रा के मालिक रवि ऋषि समेत भारत अर्थ मूवर्स लिमिटेड [बीईएमएल], सेना और रक्षा मंत्रालय के अज्ञात अधिकारियों को आरोपी बनाया गया है। केस दर्ज करने के साथ ही सीबीआइ ने दिल्ली और बेंगलूर के चार ठिकानों की तलाशी ली।

मजेदार बात यह है कि टाट्रा ट्रक घोटाले में एफआइआर दर्ज करने के लिए सीबीआइ ने एक पुरानी शिकायत का सहारा लिया है। पिछले साल यह शिकायत बेंगलूर की सीबीआइ शाखा में की गई थी। इस शिकायत पर जांच एजेंसी ने कोई ध्यान नहीं दिया। इन ट्रकों की खरीद के मामले में सेवानिवृत्त लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल तेजिंदर सिंह द्वारा 14 करोड़ रुपये की रिश्वत की पेशकश किए जाने जानकारी सामने आने के बाद सीबीआइ को शिकायत की सच्चाई पर भरोसा हुआ और उसके आधार पर एफआइआर दर्ज की गई।

एफआइआर दर्ज करते ही सीबीआइ ने टाट्रा के मालिक रवि ऋषि को पूछताछ के लिए तलब कर लिया। एक वरिष्ठ अधिकारी ने बताया कि शुरुआती पूछताछ के बाद उन्हें छोड़ दिया गया है, पर छापे में जब्त हुए दस्तावेजों की पड़ताल के बाद उन्हें फिर से पूछताछ के लिए बुलाया जा सकता है। उन्होंने कहा कि ऋषि की गिरफ्तारी पर अभी तक कोई फैसला नहीं लिया गया है। इस मामले में ऋषि के साथ-साथ उनकी कंपनी टाट्रा को भी आरोपी बनाया गया है।

वैसे टाट्रा ट्रकों को सेना 1986 से खरीद रही है। सीबीआइ की एफआइआर में 1997 से अब तक खरीदे गए ट्रकों को जांच के दायरे में रखा गया है। एक वरिष्ठ अधिकारी ने साफ किया कि जरूरत पड़ने पर इससे पहले हुई खरीद की भी जांच की जा सकती है। एफआइआर के अनुसार सेना, बीईएमएल और रक्षा मंत्रालय के अधिकारियों के साथ मिलीभगत कर रवि ऋषि टाट्रा ट्रकों के लिए बहुत ज्यादा कीमत ले रहा था। सीबीआइ यह पता लगाने की कोशिश कर रही है कि पिछले 15 सालों के दौरान इस घोटाले से सरकारी खजाने को कितने करोड़ की चपत लगी।

Drdo

DRDO contradicts Army chief, says Tatra trucks ‘outstanding’

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PTI | Mar 31, 2012, 08.18PM IST

NEW DELHI: Contradicting Army Chief General V K Singh, DRDO chief V K Saraswat on Saturday said Tatra trucks were “outstanding” and there was nothing substandard about the vehicles used as base for launching all important missiles like Prithvi and Agni.

“Tatra truck is an outstanding truck… They have a very good cross country capability and can move at good speeds,” Saraswat said at a press conference at Defence Expo here.

He was responding when asked about the performance of Tatra trucks in view of the Army Chief’s contention that these vehicles were substandard.

Noting that the launchers of all important missiles like the Prithvi and Agni are based on these trucks, the DRDO chief said the performance of these vehicles “has been good in armed forces and we have no complaints about it.”

Saraswat said “we will have more of them” if there was any further requirement of these trucks. However, if the government gives direction against using them, the premier research organization will stop doing so.

Asked to comment on the perceived tussle between defence minister A K Antony and the Army Chief, he said both were good people and should handle their differences, if any, with more caution.

“The harmony within the defence ministry with respect to our functioning and image is very important. I give my advise on technical issues but as a citizen of this country, I would say that I have known both the defence minister and the Army Chief and both of them are very good people.

Readers’ opinions (274)

sunny (Paris)
4 hrs ago (06:27 AM)
DRDO Chief is not a automobile engineer but a rocket propulsion scientist. Nice certificate for a truck, mate.

Joseph Stanis (India)
5 hrs ago (05:10 AM)
Hello DRDO Chief, Is it not your duty to also ensure that the price is right.The Internet price of a Tatra truck is about Rs 40 Lakhs but we are shelling out a Crore of Rs. Does it mean you will pay for a good item the moon? We are talking about cost effective defence equipment.The best for the least price. All these great defence organizations of the Nehruvian area are taking the nation for one BIG ride.

FREETHINKER (Switzerland)
8 hrs ago (02:10 AM)
IF THE DRDO THINKS TATRA TRUCKS ARE OUSTANDING THEN THERE IS SOMETHING RADICALLY WRONG WITH THEIR LEVEL OF STANDARDS. THIS IS THE SAME ORGANISATION THAT HAS MADE SEVERAL LOUSY PRODUCTS FOR THE ARMED FORCES STARTING FROM THE INFANTRY RIFLE TO ARJUN TANKS. NOT TO MENTION THAT ALL THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED HAS NEVER BEEN ON TIME. THE DRDO SHOULD SHUT UP LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING THE ARMY TO DO SO THROUGH POLITICIANS.

Surinder Jeet (USA)
8 hrs ago (02:03 AM)
V K Saraswat has not answered the general’s allegations. The general has said that Tatra is too expensive. DRDO has not disputed it. That Tatra is delivering the service is like saying Bofors Guns are firing. They should. Can Tatra or similar truck be bought from other suupliers? Will they give more for the same money or will they cost less. DRDO would be wise not to drag itself into lime light. As it is it is in trouble for its own scandals and poor performance. My question now is,”why did they enter the fray?. What is their interest”?

jk (delhi)
9 hrs ago (01:48 AM)
Everybody is trying to cover their as***, DRDO is a joke, even after many decades what indeginious product has come out of their stable?, even if there is one or two, are they being mass produced and are they world class that they are being exported?. This and other public sectors are a drain on the economy. I have a feeling DRDO’s palm has been greased and money exchanged to go for these trucks.

RAhul (Delhi)
9 hrs ago (01:35 AM)
DRDO is scinetists are just feeding on tax payers money.If we need to procure defense equipment from pverseas suppliers…Why not close down DRDO.

mahe (india)
9 hrs ago (01:09 AM)
I thought DRDO is a Reasearch and Development organisations, only now I understand they procure equipments and review the procurements..

ajay (delhi)
10 hrs ago (12:53 AM)
precisely, that is why we have outstanding things being manufactured by DRDO after being allocated huge budgets! its a shame that DRDO has failed to match with or come at par with other countries R& D wings!

D. Shaw (UK)
10 hrs ago (12:40 AM)
Mr. Sarsvat, isn’t a shame that India has to depend on import of major requirement of weapons and army equipment from abroad? Isn’t a shame for the scientists and technicals experts of DRDO that after fifty years’ in existence it cannot meet the Indian military’s major weapons requirements? How is that a small country like Israel without any major resources invents and manufactures most sophisticated weapons and a country of 1.2 billion people has to import such weapons from Israel inspite of the fact the India spends millions of dollars on its research organizations like DRDO? Obviously, there is something rotten in working of these government research organziations which work like any other government organization. They are managed by corrupt and third rate bureaucrats appointed by corrupt politicians. Even the Almighty creator cannot save India unless the corrupt and criminal politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen are prosecuted and hanged in public.
“If they have any differences, they should be handled with most cautious approach,” he added.

jyoti (up) replies to D. Shaw 
8 hrs ago (02:37 AM)
last year i did my summer training at drdo. there what i found, most employees come to office for time pass and chip food.

DRDO (Jeopardy ) replies to D. Shaw
9 hrs ago (01:25 AM)
Pity, these so called scientists from DRDO cann’t even reverse engineer the imported arms. Chinese are way ahead of these wannabe resaerch organization.

Suv (US/Mum) replies to D. Shaw
9 hrs ago (01:18 AM)
congress already cleaned the honest heads from DRDO.. (the resignation of scientists).. the ones that remains now are congress puppets.. can’t expect anything more from DRDO… wait few mroe days.. new Army cheif (Congress puupet) will say everythign is better thn expected..

Ram (Doha, Qatar) 
10 hrs ago (12:36 AM)
DRDO took more than 30 years to develop one missile with 1000s of staff ‘working’. It is yet another white elephant to the the state’s exchequer and most corrupt. The DRDO Chief seems to be in a hurry to cover up DRDOs role in supporting these trucks.

krishan (Pune.)
10 hrs ago (12:34 AM)
Now DRDO chief Saraswat is backing the Govt. just trying to be a ‘Chamcha’ of the govt. Or received a big kickbag few crore rupees.Now, every body knows that Gen.Singh is retiring and his opinion is not important. This is a bad Luck of India that good people are never appreciated only thing is appreciated. In India always is important money…money..monnneeey.

raja (india) replies to Vijay Veer

tatra trucks may be good, but the problem is they are not supplying the trucks, instead it was sold as CKD(completely knocked down kit) by the vectra group (ravi rishi- broker) to BEML inturn they assemble the trucks and supply it to army… the main problem is even a new truck supplied by BEML has fault spare parts such as old battery, old tyres, the life of the spares is very low, it takes two years to replace a spares and it costs ten times more than that of other trucks…..

aks (USA)
11 hrs ago (11:43 PM)
EXcept one or two divisions in DRDO all others are either doing nothing or are useless for nation, the so called scientists go to office to search internet play computer games and to gossip… I have tonnes of friends in DRDO and what I am saying here is there daily routine Most of the things made by DRDO is either obselete or useless for army and airforce… therefore we have to go for an MMRCA or BARHMOS as DRDO is incapable ….even the engine for LCA has still to come …DRDO is a political agency , where people know how to make comments like our incapable , despicable politicians

dkddn2 (delhi)
11 hrs ago (11:35 PM)
Saraswat should be ashamed of heading of an organisation that cannot create anything but rebrand the foreign products. Is he not ashamed of the fact that DRDO had not been able to identify an Indian manufacturer for these missiles ? DRDO is infact a middleman now.

Arif (India)
11 hrs ago (11:28 PM)
That shows intelligence of DRDO chief. Either he is on drugs or does not understand issue. Issue is about :(1) Bribe (2) Middleman (violation of rule) (3) When Tata and Ashok Leland can produce better trucks then why Tatra?

kumar (delhi)
11 hrs ago (11:06 PM)
This DRDO never completed one project on time , project which needs to complete in 5 years , they are taking 15 years and now this crook is saying about performance and quality. Definitely for DRDO its good truck . In DRDO scientists are preparing for engineering services examination or doing some private work . They are not developing any thing and they are even not scientists , they are clerk managing imported missiles and equipment files. performance

sambhav (gurgoan)
11 hrs ago (11:04 PM)
DRDO waalon ki ek goli bananey ki toh aukat hai nahin….yeh toh choro ki sabsey badi organization hai

Love my Country (Austin,TX)
12 hrs ago (10:56 PM)
Corrupt societies produces such institution [DRDO] , to support its’ onslaught without any responsibility. Just wanted to give my personal experience, for the Cost of Guns .. I had been to my Arms show [ very common in Texas] and there show guns of all kinds and first time in my life I saw guns so accessible and so very in-expensive. Semi-automatic , AKs , krinkov , Rugers and many Guns which were in range of 500$-1200$. I bought one at 780$ [AK56 of Bulgarian made] .So the question is I can procure this gun at the price I told, so how is Govt. [ which buys thing in bulk] cannot get at the price said. Its’ anyone’s guess How much these guns would have been bought by Raksha Mantralaya. So, people Enough is Enough… Throw this system out …

Surinder (Delhi)
12 hrs ago (10:55 PM)
So we are supposed to believe the word of a DRDO babu who has reached the top by just being a sycophant instead of an army general who is fighting a corrupt congie govt.

DRDO Sux (India)
12 hrs ago (10:51 PM)
incompetent agencies like DRDO is responsible for our pathetic situation for trillion dollar Arms imports. They are the one to speak about quality.

Noname (India)
12 hrs ago (10:49 PM)
V.K. Sarswat’s bank account should be checked now to find out how much he has been paid to give such a generous certificate!

TN (india)
12 hrs ago (10:39 PM)
Looks like this DRDO chief has some vested interest in this deal. Why this idiot is trying to divert the attention from the main subject. Its not the question of quality here ( that needs lots of testing and confirmation) its the question of bribe.Some one please tell this idiot not to poke his nose and try to defend a corrupt retired General. Please tell this DRDO chief to look after the inefficient and corrupt white elephant – DRDO

harimohan (India)
12 hrs ago (10:22 PM)
DRDO scientists are jack of all but masters of none. DRDO has done nothing to produce the the defence Equipments indigenously. They are simply functioning as inspectors and certifying agents for the equipments being imported . yes, they have successfully produced the half cooked packed food items for soldiers but to be produced by private industry. All the claims of DRDO are bungus and Untrue. If by any chance some thing is assembled in DRDO LAB , it the just variant of imported item with zero reliability. Basically DRDO creats the the employment opportunity for the under qualified and low IQ children of politicians and the babus of various ministries because there is no accountability and efficiency criteria for service and promotion. The real scientists feel suffocated in DRDO and that is why the brilliant scientists just get away after some years and join foreign or private industry. The claim of DRDO CHIEF for the best vehicle as heavy transporter for tanks etc is false and misleading a DRDO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SUITABILTY of TATRA in the hand of user ie ARMY. DRDO CHIEF – please do no mislead the nation. Had DRDO BEEN EFFICIENT, INDIA SOULD HAVE PRODUCE SERVICE WORTHY ARJUNA TANKS AND DEPENDENCY ON RUSSIAN TANKS SHOULT HAVE BEEN ZERO and TATRA like vehicles should have been produced by now.

peetee (delhi) replies to harimohan
12 hrs ago (10:45 PM)
Basically DRDO Scientist are from mediocre institutions,and not from IIT,S,as such. Which is the biggest drawback in totality. When we count the achievement of an individual as well as the institution of reckon,we definitely go by the standards,which can deliver and prepare its product to prove beyond doubt,thus DRDO HAS EVEN FAILED TO PRODUCE OR DEVELOP TRUCKS LIKE TATRA FOR ARMY FORGET TANKS AND ANY OTHER HARD METALLURGY AND ITS AVIONICS…………..?????????????

BOLD TONGUED (Chennai) replies to peetee 
11 hrs ago (11:40 PM)
perhaps iitians will come to drdo if its core objective of maximum employment (for mantri sabs’ and babus’ beta betis) is given up in terms of time bound programmes with enough money for all resources for trial and error R&D, and provided all those wasters who made entry with dubious merit, due to influence, were kicked out with a two month pay as compensation to open pan bidi shops, and keeping only the unfortunate few with zeal and merit wrongly strayed into DRDO.

A CONCERNED CITIZEN OF INDIA (Mumbai)
12 hrs ago (10:21 PM)
Dear Sir, DRDO’s certificate about Tatra Truck is very surprising. The Army Chief’s remarks are contradictory and confusing.. A thorough enquiry needs to be undertaken to find out the truth. No substandard material must be tolerated at any time.

Rahul (Raipur)
12 hrs ago (10:20 PM)
The credibility of DRDO and their Men can be well known from the fact that inspite of spending billions of dollars to develop a homemade defence system ,We are world’s largest importer of arms and Ammunitions and import nearly 95 % of the weapons … Tanta commission must be shared among DRDO ..& MOD as a bonus for non performance…

Deepak (India)
12 hrs ago (10:12 PM)
It a shame for DRDO that we are buying trucks from a czech republic with population less than Mumbai alone and GDP of $ 218 billion (India is $1.8 trillion economy) Building such trucks is not rocket science. And yes, we already are experts in rocket science and IT. Then WTF is DRDO doing?. As per news Rishi(Tatra’s promoter) misused his position in the board of Tatra Czech [the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of Tatra trucks] to enable Tatra Sipox (UK) Ltd, a company Rishi’s Vectra Group incorporated in 1994 and now owns, to buy knock down trucks from Tatra Czech at below production cost. Tatra Sipox then sold the trucks to India’s BEML at a profit, causing huge losses to Tatra Czech since profits from the sale were being made by Rishi’s company, Does DRDO not understand that Tatra trucks are brought below production cost and sold at inflated cost to BEML. Sab chor mile huwe hai.

gd (india)
12 hrs ago (10:09 PM)
Have these jokers in DRDO and BEML ever heard of a company called Oshkosh?Just imagine the guts of BEML MD when he says Tetra technology is the best in the world! Do these clowns think that others have dropped from the sky yesterday!Disgusting!

Prof. D P Misra (IITK)
12 hrs ago (10:06 PM)
Sarasvat is one of the most incompetant people around to head DRDO. He has done nothing except delivering some failed missiles to India, which can blast in the Barrel and never hit the target, if they fly. DRDO has never been able to deliver any successful product which is useful for Nation and its army therefore a white elephant. His integrity is obviously doubtful because he is giving certificate to Truck, where he doesnt not possess any domain knowledge. May god help India, where people like him call all the shots in various spheres of science and engineering.’

MP (US)
12 hrs ago (10:02 PM)
The whole world knows that the Indian politicians and bureaucrats are corrupt from head to toe. Any substandard hardware not sold anywhere else in the world is easily dumped in India, and at a higher price. Tatra Trucks are good only in name, those supplied to India are handicapped lacking in specifications and quality, with very poor maintenance facilities.Gen. VK Singh is right; he knows better than the sycophant DRDO Chief. They are trying to protect their corrupt deal. It has always happened in the Army since no previous Army Chief had the courage to blow the whistle as Gen. VK Singh had done. Hope the succeeding Army Chiefs will maintain this tradition of honesty.

S Rajendran (Chennai)
13 hrs ago (09:37 PM)
VK Saraswat , the DRDO Chief must be investigated on his connections with Tatra organisation. I have heard employees of BEML opining that the Tatra Trucks is a con job and made over to the Army on an understanding reached between Ravi Rishi, owner of Vectra, the shell company that promotes Tatra to the Indian Army and makes the pay-offs.

venkat (dubai)
13 hrs ago (09:20 PM)
DRDO chief is lying as DRDO is specialised in missile technology and not automobile technology. It is like a sattelite technologist giving certificate to the booster Wrocket manufacturer which have separate technologies.DRDO , DMRL,DRDL which comes under MOD are white elephants.When DRDO chief gets salary from MOD he has to side with MOD and not the Army.

spati (noida)
13 hrs ago (09:18 PM)
Because of DRDO our country is not self sufficient. You 1st explain why DRDO is not able to produced these types of trucks which is a basic transport for defense after thousands of crores spend in the name of research?? Who are you to say about the quality? Only the arm-force who are actually using it can comment. So we can trust the army chief not a DRDO official. Those officials satisfy 10 janpath are appointed there.

KMR (Overseas)
13 hrs ago (09:05 PM)
This DRDO chief V K Saraswat (or BEML chief) making statement to fool the public with a spin as usual without touching the sale price of truck which is more than double, ie. cheating. These guys are un-trustable, probably he in the loop of beneficiaries and it’s evident from timing of his statement that he in support of top crooks ……. Now I really doubt this Prithvi and Agni what he is talking about is fire-crackers or missiles!

spati (noida)
13 hrs ago (09:03 PM)
Can the DRDO answer why truck like TATRA cant not be produced after 30-40 yeras even though a technology transfer agreement is in place? Why the tatra trucks are still left handed drive? Why the company selling it around 1 crore to indian army while anybody can purchase it around 40 lakh on open market? Can he informed us how many trucks are dumped because of shortrage of spare parts? If the trucks are so efficient then why they are offering bribe? We all know the credibility of DRDO. Just shot your mouth. The truth is out dont try to cover it. We all are with general v.k.sing.

Shirish (Mumbai)
13 hrs ago (08:58 PM)
This DRDO officer is doing chaplusi of the corrupt Defence ministry officals…..DRDO is one of the laziest organisation in India……this idiot has been told by Govt. to speak against General V.K Singh!!

RAJA (CHENNAI)
13 hrs ago (08:58 PM)
DRDO dont certificate other countries sub-standard product…, your duty is to improve innovation and improvement in indian defence technology….., let CBI investigate DRDO chief V K Saraswat first………… why every officer in BEML and now DRDO is certifying the czech trucks??????? i think TATA and ashok leyland are paying to low to these officers( increase the bribe amount)………………….

 

Drdo

Tatra trucks have performed well for Indian Army: DRDO chief

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ANI | Mar 31, 2012, 04.54PM IST

NEW DELHI: Defence Research Development Organisation ( DRDO) chief V. K. Saraswat on Saturday defended the use of Tatra trucks in the Indian Army, saying the vehicles had performed rather well.

Describing the Tatra trucks as “outstanding” and not at all of sub-standard quality, Saraswat said the trucks have been used to launch missiles like the Prithvi and the Agni.

“Tatra truck is an outstanding truck… They have a very good cross country capability and can move at good speeds,” Saraswat told media at Defence Expo here.

“The performance of these vehicles has been good in the armed forces and we have no complaints about it. We will have more of them if there was any further requirement of these trucks. However, if the government gives direction against using them, the premier research organization will stop doing so,”Saraswat said.

He also described Defence Minister A K Antony and Chief of Army Staff General V.K.Singh as good people who should handle their differences, if any, with more caution.

Readers’ opinions

Victor (Hyderabad) 
16 hrs ago (06:11 PM)
Please investigate Saraswat. His son-in-law, joined a company making missile components under contract from DRDO and the company went from BIFR status to over 100 crores. Dont trust his statements.

Drdo

Deccan Herald | A costly intelligence asset of no use now

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Deccan Herald

A costly intelligence asset of no use now

Chandan Nandy, Bangalore, Mar 21, 2012, DHNS:

Rs 30-cr project scrapped after technical panel found flaws in encryption system

The use of Chinese processors in an encryption system for ground mobile satellite communication terminals for use by the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) was considered a breach of security for which the project was scrapped on the directions of the National Security Council (NSC).

Following strong objections by the NSC, the “Sampark” network was shot down and is not being used by the NTRO, leading to the loss of Rs 30 crore (including capital and recurring expenditure) that was spent on purchasing the asset.

The wasteful expenditure incurred as a result of non-use of the system has come under the scanner of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) which is learnt to have classified it as among several other “suspect” NTRO acquisitions and procurements between 2007 and 2010. The CAG undertook a massive special audit of the NTRO after the head of the communications intelligence organisation blew with the whistle on several questionable procurements and other irregularities.

The audit findings have been submitted to the Supreme Court in a sealed envelope.

In late 2009, the NSC was apprised by the Scientific Analysis Group (SAG) within the Defence Research and Development Organisation that several ground mobile SATCOM terminals, which the NTRO had procured from the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for positioning in various parts of the country for communication “during operations”, contained Chinese processors.

The sensitive issue came to the notice of the NSC when the Indian Air Force, which procured the same encryption system from BEL the same year, sought to have it cleared by the SAG. On further examination, it was found by SAG scientists that the encryption system contained Chinese processors which, it was suspected, could potentially compromise all special operations within the country.

An encryption system is an essential feature in SATCOM terminals as they help in protecting transmission of and securing sensitive communication which could otherwise be intercepted. The NTRO procured “bulk encryption systems” in early 2009 as part of a project that was called “Sampark”.

According to sources in the country’s security establishment, senior NTRO officials procured the systems, worth Rs 30 crore, without taking due clearance from the SAG which is the government’s sole certifying authority for such hi-tech and sensitive equipment which the security agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau, use for operations.

The encryption system was used by the NTRO for at least six months during which time intelligence information was transmitted without clearance from the authorities concerned.

Drdo

PMO, NSA shielding CAG-indicted NTRO – The Pioneer

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SUNDAY, 18 MARCH 2012 00:27 J GOPIKRISHNAN | NEW DELHI

While the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Security Advisor are trying to hush up the wrongdoings by powerful technical intelligence agency, NTRO, by not tabling the CAG report in Parliament, the CAG response to an RTI query confirms blatant violations in purchase and recruitments in the sensitive organisation.

The CAG submitted its report to the President in mid-February 2011. As per tradition, this should have been tabled in Parliament in the next session. But the Government has not mustered the courage to table it even after more than a year.

The Government may attract breach of privilege notices from parliamentarians as it is going to submit the report to the Supreme Court on March 19. All the CAG reports are first placed in Parliament, which makes it public.

This will be the first time the Government will bypass Parliament and submit a CAG report to the Supreme Court. The SC had ordered for production of the controversial CAG report in a sealed cover on a petition filed by former joint secretary of National Technical Research Organisation VK Mittal.

“We have noticed lack of transparency and non-compliance of rules and procedures in procurement of systems/stores/equipment and deficient procurement management resulting in cases of excess payment/wasteful expenditure/loss to exchequer,” said the CAG’s office in the RTI reply sought by whistleblower VK Mittal.

“We have noticed cases of appointment of ineligible candidates and lack of transparency in recruitment of regular employees also in NTRO…. We have noticed lack of transparency in appointment of contractual employees… We have noticed instances of misuse of official position,” added CAG’s office.

CAG decision to audit on NTRO affairs in December 2009 was vehemently objected by then National Security Advisor MK Naryanan and later overruled by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. NTRO, which was formed after the Kargil war, works under NSA who reports to the Prime Minister.

The CAG submitted its performance audit on the NTRO, the first such audit report on an intelligence organisation in mid-February 2011. The report, according to sources, exposed the style of functioning and rampant corruption in secret service organisation, nepotism and siphoning money in the name of national security. The findings of the CAG were pointing directly towards the “arbitrary decisions” of then NSA and higher officials in the PMO, said sources.

Among the major findings, the blatant violation of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) purchases by manipulating the decisions of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). The CAG report, a copy of which is also with National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon over the past one year, has indicted former NTRO Chairman KVSS Prasad Rao and its Advisor MS Vijayaraghavan for misdeeds in several purchases.

The CAG’s Special Audit on Performance and Finance of NTRO has revealed that the agency, in a bid to favour the Israeli vendors, never informed the CCS on adding extra cost of Rs 150 crore. The CCS sanctioned Rs 300 crore for purchase and NTRO manipulated the accounting procedures and hiked the purchase amount to Rs 450 crore.

More over CAG found that the entire such purchase to favour the Israeli vendor lead to inferior quality and the entire UAVs are still non-operational.

The CAG in its report on the functioning of NTRO found that as many as 143 posts in the sensitive organisation were filled not according the procedures and observed severe nepotism in such postings. The CAG decided to audit when Mittal, who quit from the organisation and complained on illegalities.

After Government hushed up the CAG report by not tabling before Parliament, he approached Supreme Court through noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan. In a recent hearing, Justices HL Dattu and CK Prasad directed Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman to submit the controversial CAG report on March 19 in a sealed cover. Several legal experts point out that non-tabling of CAG report before Parliament and presenting it in a sealed cover before court may invite breach of privilege by Parliamentarians.