Tag Archives: DRDO

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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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Only Modi Ji or GOD help to Indian Citizen for getting RTI reply from DRDO

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To,                                                                                           3rd January 2017

Shri Manohar Parrikar,

Defence Minister, Room No -104

South Block, New Delhi-110011

Sir, every citizen in India very well know that DRDO is under second schedule of RTI Act 2005 and exempted but in corruption and human right DRDO is not exempted in any case. See the enclose RTI Reply from our prestigious organisation, they totally denied to furnish the information and ignored the enclosed evidences the real time photographs and details. The vehicle vanished after RTI, the all records are with Central Command but it feels that our jawans are made for exploitation. We can not close our eyes when these great jawans are exploited by these DRDO corrupt scientists. This means they are above the constitutional provision of India or they are patronized by super corrupt officials. Now as a ministry of defence head you will give direction to DRDO to furnished the information and stop using ARMY jawans as Bonded Labours by these so called scientists who are not even doing any science.

or may GOD will help us

Regards

Prabhu Dandriyal,

21-Sunderwala, Raipur, Dehradun-248008

Phone 0135-2787750, Mobile 9411114879

Email prabhudoon@gmail.com website-www.corruptionindrdo.com

Dadagiri of DRDO Scientist

Enclosed – Photographs as proof of corruption

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Parrikar Walks Tightrope on DRDO Transfer

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Oct 18 2016 : The Economic Times (Delhi)et-18-oct

Manohar Parrikar had to intervene to sort out a transfer case of a DRDO technician, after 2 BJP leaders took differing sides in the marital row, reports Manu Pubby.

Caught in Tussle Between BJP Leaders, Parrikar Walks Tightrope on Transfer

Manu Pubby, New Delhi:

SORTING OUT A TRANSFER CASE It appears to be a long-standing marital dispute
Minister finds time after surgical strikes to counsel DRDO technician

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar had to find time out of a busy schedule just two days after the surgical strikes into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to sort out a transfer case involving a junior technician, after two BJP leaders took differing sides in what appears to be a long-standing marital dispute.
Parrikar, who was in Dehradun on October 1, met the junior technician -Subodh Kumar -who works with the Defence Research and Development Organisation at the Jolly Grant airport, counselling him to take up the transfer.

The reason for the defence minister to get involved is a tussle between two BJP leaders.

18-oct-et-2While one side has been in touch with the defence ministry to post Kumar out from Dehradun to Kanpur, the other side has sent representations to Parrikar to stall the transfer, citing ill health of his parents and the condition of his disabled brother.

Former Uttarakhand chief minister and Member of Parliament Ramesh Pokhriyal `Nishank’ wrote to Parrikar in September, asking him to stall the posting on the request of Kumar’s parents.On the other side is the BJP’s rep resentative from Saharanpur, Raghav Lakhanpal, who Kumar says has been in touch with the ministry to get him posted out.

“There has been pressure from Mr Lakhanpal who is known to my wife’s family to get me posted out. But my side of the story was never heard, I was asked to report to Kanpur with an assurance that I will be posted back soon,“ Subodh Kumar told ET.

The defence ministry did not respond to a detailed questionnaire sent by ET and despite repeated efforts Raghav Lakhanpal did not offer any comments. Letters and meeting records accessed by ET reveal that Manohar Parrikar is walking a tightrope in the case.On her part, the wife has alleged in her representation to the ministry that Kumar was abusive and was troubling her for the past year.et-18-oct-16

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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.