The defence ministry, finding the allegations over the Embraer deal of a serious nature, has asked both the CBI and Enforcement Directorate to probe the claims that kickbacks were paid in the $208-mil
The defence ministry, finding the allegations over the Embraer deal of a serious nature, has asked both the CBI and Enforcement Directorate to probe the claims that kickbacks were paid in the $208-million deal the Defence Research and Development Organisation had struck with the Brazilian aircraft maker during UPA rule in 2008.
On Sunday, defence minister Manohar Parrikar had said in Vadodara: “If the issues are of a criminal nature, then we can forward this case to the CBI for a criminal investigation, and if there are just procedural issues we can do an internal investigation.”
A joint US-Brazil probe into Embraer had uncovered a bribery case leading to a deal signed between the firm and DRDO in 2008 for three aircraft with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). DRDO has already sought a report from the Brazilian company, which said it had been looking into the graft allegations for the last five years.
The Embraer deal is the third major defence deal that has become controversial, after the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal and the Scorpene submarine data leak controversies.
