CBI files case in ₹6,744-crore deal involving arms dealer Bhandari
NEWDELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a case in a deal worth ₹6,744 crore by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in which the alleged bribe paid to the fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari is suspected to have been used to buy a London property linked to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s son-inlaw Robert Vadra.
To be sure, Vadra is not named as accused in the latest CBI FIR but Enforcement Directorate (ED) has repeatedly claimed in the court that this property at – 12 Ellerton House, Brynston Square (London), bought for 1.9 million pounds, belongs to Vadra.
The CBI claimed that the deal for this property was stipulated to be completed on or before end of August 2009, just after ₹22 crore (USD 5 million approx.) were transferred on June 13, 2009 in the Dubai account of Bhandari’s company Santech International FZC by Samsung Engineering Co Ltd (SECL).
Vadra has repeatedly denied the allegations against him. “They can keep saying whatever. It has no meaning,” he told HT.
The controversial deal was signed on February 10, 2009 for ₹6,744.32 crore by ONGC with a consortium of M/s Linde AG, Germany and SECL, South Korea, for a Dual Feed Cracker Unit (DFCU) by ONGC Petrol Additions Limited or OPAL, for its mega petrochemical project at Dahej, Gujarat.
In its FIR, registered on Tuesday, CBI named a former senior manager of SECL – Hong Namkoong, UK based company Fosterwheeler Energy Ltd and unknown officials of ONGC and OPAL along with Sanjay Bhandari.
CBI has alleged in its FIR, reviewed by HT, that Bhandari, was hired by Samsung Engineering for consultancy services for USD 10 million was to be paid to him.
ONGC, SECL didn’t respond to email queries.
Fosterwheller company spokesperson could not be located by HT.
NEWDELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against Dr G V K Reddy, Chairman of GVK group, the company that runs the Mumbai airport – MIAL (Mumbai International Airport Limited), and others for alleged irregularities worth ₹705 crore in the development of Mumbai airport.
MIAL is a joint venture between AAI (Airports Authority of India), GVK and foreign entities. The AAI entered an agreement in 2006 for modernization and up gradation, operation and maintenance of Mumbai airport as part of joint venture called –MIAL.
The agreement stated that the revenue share has to be given first to AAI and then the balance earnings of MIAL shall be used for modernisation and upgradation, operation and maintenance and the essence of the agreement was to make it a world class facility.
CBI FIR alleges that the GVK group connived with their family members, relatives and employees to give undue monetary
THE AGENCY HAS NAMED TOTAL 13 PERSONS AND COMPANIES AS ACCUSED AS WELL AS UNKNOWN PUBLIC SERVANTS
advantage to them and to cause corresponding unlawful loss to AAI.
As part of the conspiracy, they assigned the premium retail areas of Mumbai airport to their family members at exorbitantly low rates there- by reducing the revenue of MIAL.
The GVK group even used funds of MIAL by entering into agreements with a company owned by family members, relatives, employees to book train, air travel tickets and hotel booking for personal as well as group employees of GVK who were not connected to MIAL.
The agency has named total 13 persons and companies as accused as well as unknown public servants.