Tag Archives: CBI

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Hotelier Narang sends notice to agencies in property case

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By ABHINANDAN MISHRA | New Delhi | 16 July, 2017 Sunday Guardian

    The notice sent by Sanjay Narang to Y. Ashok Babu

Notice to whistleblower raises questions about secrecy.

The whistleblower in the Sanjay Narang property case in the Landour cantonment area of Mussoorie has been served a notice by Narang, raising serious questions regarding the government’s onus to maintain confidentiality of such complainants, who have often been attacked.

Narang has served a notice to Y. Ashok Babu, estate officer of the Institute of Technology Management (ITM), which is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), asking him “to either substantiate with evidence the allegations made by you, or to unconditionally withdraw these allegations within seven days, failing which I reserve my options open to file a case against you personally for defamation under section 499/500 of the Indian Penal Code, as your letter to the CVC/CBI (and circulated to the media) was sent by you in your personal capacity”.

A copy of the notice has been forwarded to the DRDO, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and multiple departments under Ministry of Defence (MoD). The Sunday Guardian also has a copy of the same.

Ashok Babu had earlier filed a complaint with the CVC seeking a probe into the irregularities regarding Narang’s properties which are located in the sensitive area of Landour cantonment and adjacent to the ITM laboratory.

Ashok Babu had pointed out that several commercial establishments were running in Landour, allegedly without permission, and they posed a security threat to the defence establishments. He had stressed that this could be “bigger than the Adarsh housing scam”.

The Ministry of Defence was forced to take stock of the situation at the Landour cantonment. The CVC had asked for comments from all departments concerned. A fact-finding mission comprising senior officials of the department of defence estates had visited Landour later. Narang has stated in his notice: “I have been questioned by the CBI and the officials of the Cantonment Board Landour (CBL) based on the false complaints made by you against me and by your action of feeding completely false information to various media outlets. The purpose of this letter is to place on record the correct facts pertaining to each of your allegations made to the CBI, CVC and media.”

Reached for comments, Ashok Babu, while acknowledging that he had received the notice, said that the “matter was sub judice”.

Sources close to him said the whole development was a matter of great concern for whistleblowers. “How can the content of a complaint filed by a government servant with the CBI, Ministry of Defence and the CVC reach a private individual, an individual against whom the complaint is filed? A senior government servant is being threatened with a notice for whistleblowing against corruption,” an official source said.

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CBI raids premises of Army officer in Hyderabad over land scam row

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By Express News Service | Published: 16th May 2017 05:32 AM |
Last Updated: 16th May 2017 05:32 AM 

HYDERABAD: Days after registering a case against an Army officer and a private builder in connection with a Rs 500 crore land scam, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials from New Delhi on Monday raided the offices and residences of an army officer in Hyderabad and seized incriminatory material.

CBI registered cases against Lieutenant Colonel M G Thimmaya, former estate manager of DRDO, Bengaluru and N H Rustumji, builder and other unknown persons in connection with the transfer of a
12-acre land worth Rs 500 crore at Benniganahalli in KR Puram to a real estate developer.
The raids were conducted after court direction to probe a complaint by private land owners and various civil appeals.

During investigation, CBI officials found that Lieutenant Colonel MG Thimmaya, H Rustum and other officials entered into a criminal conspiracy with the accused in 2004-06, pursuant to which the public servants cheated the government through transfer of 12 acres 1 gunta of land in favour of a private person against the decision of the defence ministry.

CBI officials stated that the searches were conducted at seven different places including the residential and official premises of accused persons at Hyderabad and Bengaluru which led to recovery of some incriminating documents.

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CBI carries out searches in Rs 500 crore land scam

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THE ASIAN AGE. Published : May 16, 2017, 3:21 am IST Updated : May 16, 2017, 3:21 am IST
The vigilance department of the defence ministry had pegged the scam to be of Rs 500 crore.

Case is related to an alleged fraud by Lt. Col. M.G. Thimmaya (the then estate manager, DRDO) and a property developer N.H. Rustumji.

New Delhi: The CBI on Monday conducted searches at seven locations, including the officials and residential premises of an Army officer, in an alleged land fraud believed to be worth Rs 500 crore.

According to sources, the case is related to an alleged fraud by Lt. Col. M.G. Thimmaya (the then estate manager, DRDO) and a property developer N.H. Rustumji. Lt. Col. Thimmaya allegedly gave a joint memo before the court in the land dispute matter which was different from that cleared by the Defence Ministry.

Talking to reporters here CBI Spokesperson said, “The allegation is related to criminal conspiracy between accused during the year 2004-06, pursuant to which the officer abused his official position and cheated the government through the transfer of 12 acres 1 gunta of land in favour of a private person against the decision taken by the ministry of defence”.

The agency on Monday carried out searches at the residential and official premises of Lt. Col. Thimmaya, now with defence ministry in Hyderabad, and Rustumji in Bengaluru and district Kodagu. The vigilance department of the defence ministry had pegged the scam to be of Rs 500 crore. “The agency sleuths recovered several incriminating documents during searches. These documents are being scrutinised. They have been booked under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act,” sources said. The agency will soon call Lt. Col. Thimmaya and Mr Rustumji for questioning.

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Army officer, DRDO officials booked for ‘misappropriation’ of land worth Rs 500 crore

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TNN | May 16, 2017, 05.11 AM IST

NEW DELHI: The CBI has registered a case against an Army officer, a private person and unknown DRDO officials for allegedly misappropriating land worth Rs 500 crore in Bengaluru, meant for the defence ministry.
CBI teams conducted raids at 7 places in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kodagu, including the residence of Lt Col M G Thimmaya.
The agency booked Lt Col Thimmaya, who was estate manager in estate management unit at DRDO township in Bengaluru, and city resident N H Rustumji besides some unknown officials for cheating, criminal conspiracy and under the Prevention of Corruption Act after a complaint from the defence ministry.
The complaint says the Karnataka government had in a notification in 1987 proposed to acquire 114 acres and 16.5 guntas of land (40 guntas= 1 acre), situated at Benniganahalli village in K R Puram, Hobli of Bangalore, for the use of DRDO.
In 1989, the state government issued final notification saying only 97 of the 114 acres will go to DRDO.
However, between 1994-1996, the state denotified about 44 acres of land out of 97 acres without informing DRDO. The denotification was challenged by the Centre in the Karnataka HC, which ruled in favour of DRDO. The case was contested in the SC by private landowners.
As per the SC order, 2 acres and 1 ¼ guntas was to be transferred by DRDO to five persons. Subsequently, 9 acres and 39 ¾ guntas was transferred to N H Rustumji on the basis of power of attorney executed by landowners in his favour. In this deed, Rustumji was represented by Lt Col Thimmaya on behalf of DRDO.
CBI says Thimmaya and Rustumji cheated DRDO/ministry of defence through transfer of total 12 acres 1 gunta of land, says CBI.

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CBI carries out searches in Rs 500-crore land scam in Delhi

The CBI today carried out searches at seven locations, including the office and residential premises of an army officer, in an alleged land fraud worth Rs 500 crore.
By: PTI | New Delhi | Updated: May 15, 2017 9:17 PM

The case relates to alleged fraud by Lt Col M G Thimmaya, the then Estate Manager, DRDO, and a property developer N H Rustumji in filing a joint memo before the Supreme Court in a land dispute matter. (PTI)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The CBI today carried out searches at seven locations, including the office and residential premises of an army officer, in an alleged land fraud worth Rs 500 crore. The case relates to alleged fraud by Lt Col M G Thimmaya, the then Estate Manager, DRDO, and a property developer N H Rustumji in filing a joint memo before the Supreme Court in a land dispute matter.
Thimmaya allegedly gave the memo in the Supreme Court in the land dispute matter which was different from that cleared by the Defence Ministry.
“The allegation is related to criminal conspiracy between the accused during the year 2004-06, pursuant to which the officer abused his official position and cheated the Government through the transfer of 12 acres and one gunta of land in favour of a private person against the decision taken by the Ministry of Defence,” CBI Spokesperson said here today.
The agency today carried out searches at the residential permises and office of Thimmaya, now with Defence Ministry in Hyderabad, and Rustumji in Bengaluru.
The vigilance department of the Defence Ministry had pegged the alleged scam at Rs 500 crore.

 

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High-end resorts, hotels thriving in Landour cantonment area

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By ABHINANDAN MISHRA | New Delhi | 6 May, 2017 – Sunday Guardian
Manohar Parrikar had ordered a probe, but with a change of guard in defence ministry, things have stalled.

The Institute of Technology Management, DRDO at Landour cantonment

Private resorts and hotels in Landour cantonment, Mussoorie, continue to function even though former defence minister Manohar Parrikar had ordered a probe, nearly nine months ago, to find out how they were allowed to come up in the high security sensitive zone.

Mussoorie based officials accused that the defence ministry was trying to “cover up” the matter to save the skin of “influential people” involved in the business.

The matter had first come to light in July last year when the estate officer of Institute of Technology Management (ITM), which is a Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) laboratory, wrote to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and then to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), seeking inquiry into how high-end resorts and hotels were functioning in the cantonment area when no such permission was given by the government departments concerned.

Following the uproar, Parrikar had ordered a probe. But the “probe” seems to have “died down” with a change of guard in the ministry.

“Nothing has happened in that matter. Only initially, once, a senior official had come in the last week of July to look into the matter. The resorts and hotels, without having valid permission to run, continue to function without any hindrance despite the fact that they are situated in a cantonment area. Many foreign nationals are running these resorts, so you can understand how much of a security threat is involved. It is very shameful that the MoD has chosen to ignore this issue and has taken it so casually,” a senior official associated with the DRDO said.

As per a 12 May 2016 letter, which has been accessed by this newspaper, the Landour Cantonment Board had not given any licenses to any persons or firms to run guest houses in the cantonment area.

According to officials, neither the CBI, nor the CVC nor the MoD had so far even interacted with the public servants who are aware of how the resorts and hotels were illegally constructed.

“I do not know what kind of probe they are doing. Even if they are not serious about the probe and just want to do a formality, they should have at least called those people who are aware of the matter and spoken to them before giving a clean chit to the owners of those hotels and resorts which are running illegally. These resorts could not have come-up without the complicity of hoteliers and MoD officials and hence no one wants to take the probe further,” another senior official of DRDO stated.

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CBI finds Embraer deal fixer, may unmask bribe recipients

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TNN | Updated: Sep 29, 2016,

embraer-29-sep-2016NEW DELHI: CBI claimed on Wednesday that it has managed to track down a middleman, a foreign national, who was allegedly paid $5.5 million as commission by Brazilian company Embraer to bag a Rs 1,350 crore ($208 million) jet deal with India in 2008.

Sources said investigation has established that the payment was linked to the sale of jets to India. Although sources refused to identify the “middleman” or spell out his nationality citing confidentiality clause undergirding cooperation among investigating agencies, they said he is a controversial figure and has been known to be conduits for arms deals. “We will ask Embraer why did they pay such a big amount to the gentleman in connection with the deal with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for airborne surveillance systems,” said a CBI officer, adding that the breakthrough could put the agency on the trail of other beneficiaries.
CBI sources said they will approch law agencies of some countries, including Brazil and UK, to get details on him and other aspects like the mode of payment. “That is how this business functions. The defence contractor pays the money to the middleman who, after retaining his own share, distributes the money to those who may help him swing the deal,” said a source.

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Files reveal links between Agusta, Embraer deals

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By Ashish Singh | NEW DELHI | 18 September, 2016 – The Sunday Guardian
ashish-embraer-story-edited-1The DRDO was not on board with the IAF over selection of the Embraer aircraft.
ashish-embraer-story-edited-2The CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) against unknown Ministry of Defence officials to probe the Embraer aircraft deal scam, in less than 12 hours after this correspondent revealed on NewsX the minutes of four meetings held in December 2006 to finalise the aircraft for the AEW&C project.

This correspondent has revealed that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was not on board with the Indian Air Force under then Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi over the selection of Embraer aircraft.

PE is the very initial measure taken by the CBI to examine any case before lodging a First Information Report (FIR) against suspected persons.

The CBI told this correspondent that “CBI has registered a PE (preliminary enquiry) against unknown officials of the Ministry of Defence (GOI) and others. This on a reference from the said Ministry on allegations related to M/s. Embraer employing an agent to facilitate various contracts. These include the contract for AEW&C project wioth CABS/DRDO for procurement of 3 aircraft”.

This correspondent has accessed the key 10-page documents that form part of the “Embraer files” that are being investigated by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate. The documents contain the minutes of the four meetings held in December 2006 to finalise the aircraft for the AEW&C project.

In the first of the four meetings, held at Air Headquarter, New Delhi on 5 December 2006, the documents suggest, then Programme Director (AEW&C) Dr S. Christopher (who is currently the DRDO chief) had proposed two alternative options with different configuration and endurance for the aircraft as a platform for this project. He also pointed out that better options will be available with the change of aircraft. But the Air Force under S.P. Tyagi overruled Christopher’s arguments and stated that the DRDO will work with Embraer, the world’s third largest aircraft manufacturer that is now under the scanner of the US and Brazilian authorities for alleged kickbacks.

The Embraer files accessed by this correspondent reveal that four meetings had taken place on 5,6, 8 and 19 December 2006 among the Air Force officers, DRDO officials and the scientific adviser to the then Defence Minister, A.K. Antony.

“Dr. Christopher brought out that better options will be available with change of aircraft. The Chairman (the then Deputy Chief of Air Staff) stated that we need to work with EMB-145 and develop a prototype with the configuration that CABS will formulate and send to IAF for consideration”, stated the minutes that are available with this correspondent.

The minutes further state: “The Programme Director, AEW&C stated that CABS has proposed two options with different configuration and endurance. DCAS asked him to submit a clear proposal of what can be achieved with a 24T aircraft.”

The Defence Ministry is also expected to seek information from Brazil and the US through Indian defence attachés deployed in Indian embassies in the two countries.

According to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, Embraer had allegedly engaged a UK-based defence middleman and paid him kickbacks in order to ink the deal with India. Media reports further alleged that Embraer officials had paid commissions to middlemen in order to finalise similar deals in Saudi Arabia. The US Justice Department has been scrutinising Embraer’s deal with India.

The newspaper report claimed that the Brazil based company came under the US scanner after the US Justice Department smelled a rat in 2010 following the former’s contract with the Dominican Republic.

In 2008, a $208 million deal with Embraer was signed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for three ERJ-145 aircraft to build indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems for the Indian Air Force. The three aircraft were to serve as an air-borne radar system known as airborne early-warning and control systems or AEWCS for the Indian Air Force.

Significantly, the Embraer deal reminds one of the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam due to the many similarities. Both Embraer and Augusta deals were inked when S.P. Tyagi was the Air Force chief and A.K. Antony was the Defence Minister.

Both deals were cleared between 2008 and 2010 despite alternative options being available. In both deals, UK based middlemen and aircraft company officials are allegedly involved.

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Modi government plans to launch team to probe defence scams

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By Pradip R Sagar Published: 18th September 2016 – The New Indian Express

CBI director Anil Kumar Sinha
CBI director Anil Kumar Sinha

NEW DELHI: With an extremely poor track record of probing defence bribery scandals, the country may have a special team to investigate such cases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is contemplating a proposal to constitute the team.

The proposal came up for discussion at a meeting in the Cabinet Secretariat recently where key officials suggested an independent team, which can be tasked to investigate only the high-profile scams that have hit the corridors of the defence ministry. Investigators can be drawn from the CBI to coordinate with the ED, to follow the money trail involved.

The government is planning to launch a special team only to investigate defence scandals. This comes in the backdrop of allegations of Brazilian aviation major Embraer hiring a UK-based agent and paying commissions to swing the $208 million deal for three Emb-145 aircraft inked with India during the UPA rule in 2008. The Defence Ministry has forwarded the matter to the CBI, which has filed a preliminary inquiry and initiated a probe.
From 1986 Bofors, HDW submarine, Tatra to AgustaWestland, Indian investigators have miserably failed on prosecution as majority of the scams hit dead-end and closure was filed by investigating agencies. Government believes that such scams not only bring bad image to the country, but also causes embarrassment globally. The only roadblock, however, will be sparing officials from the CBI, the federal agency which is already short-staffed. In a recent affidavit in the SC, the CBI informed that it has 50 per cent of its staff on deputation and has a vacancy of 754, against its sanctioned strength of 4,544. Of these, 283 vacancies are at the levels of inspector, 195 of constable and head constable, 65 at deputy and additional superintendent of police, 41 at SP and senior SP level and 12 are of Deputy Inspector General.

“Repeated failure of investigating agencies especially in probing defence scams is surely a cause of worry for the government, as it creates a lot of hype. Forming an independent team of selective officials to handle bribery allegations in defence deals will be an option, as most of these probes require overseas intervention,” said a high-ranked official. It ultimately turns out to be diplomatic loss of face for the government after naming foreign companies and middlemen during the course of investigation.

Like in the recent case of AgustaWestland choppers, despite so much of noise in Parliament, CBI has failed to arrest anyone.the-sunday-standard-18-september-16

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Government asks CBI to probe in allegations of corruption in purchase of three Embraer aircrafts

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By Express News Service Published: 15th September 2016 – The New Indian Express
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started analyzing allegations of Brazilian aviation major Embraer hiring a UK-based agent and paying commissions to swing the $208 million deal for three Emb-145 aircraft inked with India during UPA rule in 2008.

The government had asked the agency to probe in allegations of corruption in the purchase of three Embraer aircraft for Defence Research and Development Organisation in 2008

The agency sources said officials are going through the reference and any decision to start a probe in the matter will be taken soon after analysing all the documents.

If the agency is satisfied that it has enough prima facie evidence to initiate an FIR, it will start or else it might register a preliminary enquiry to gather enough material for registering a regular case, they said.

Government had stated that the allegations were of a serious nature and the CBI will probe.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier this week said that, “If there is a criminal angle, then the CBI will probe as the Ministry cannot”. “If only procedural issues are involved, then the Defence Ministry can do an internal investigation,” he had said.

The deal for purchase of three Embraer aircraft during the UPA regime has kicked up dust with US authorities going into alleged payment of kickbacks. The deal has come under the scanner of the US Justice Department which has been probing Embraer for alleged payment of bribes to secure contracts.
Soon after, the reports of irregularity surfaced, the DRDO has already sought a report from the Brazilian firm, which has said it has been looking into graft allegations over the last five years.

DRDO investigation through report from Brazilian firm is a separate investigation. Parallel investigation has been started by CBI

The Special Investigation Team probing AgustaWestland bribery scandal will also probe this scam.

The deal was signed in 2008 between Embraer and the DRDO for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). The first “modified” aircraft was delivered to DRDO in 2011, with the other two following later.

After several missed deadlines, the AEW&C project is now slated to be completed by December. Present DRDO chief S Christopher was the AEW&C programme director and head of the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) before he was chosen to head DRDO in May 2015 by the NDA government.

Sources claimed that role of the committee, comprised of officials from IAF and DRDO is also under scanner, which shortlisted the Embraer deal.

Brazil’s top newspaper, the ‘Folha de Sao Paulo’, had reported on September 8 that the possible bribery in the 2008 Indian deal was under the scanner of the US justice department, which has been investigating Embraer since 2010, after a contract with the Dominican Republic raised suspicion. The scope of the investigation has now been widened to examine Embraer’s dealings with eight other countries, including India and Saudi Arabia.