The CBI has registered an FIR against Vipin Khanna, a UK-based arms dealer, for allegedly taking kickbacks worth over $5.7 million from a Brazilian company, Embraer, in the 2008 three-aircraft deal.
The CBI has registered an FIR against Vipin Khanna, a UK-based arms dealer, for allegedly taking kickbacks worth over $5.7 million from a Brazilian company, Embraer, in the 2008 three-aircraft deal. The central probe agency on Friday issued a lookout circular against Mr Khanna to prevent him from leaving the country.
According to sources, Mr Khanna, whose name had figured in defence deals probed by the agency earlier too, has been booked along with two foreign companies — Embraer and Singapore-based Interdev Pte Ltd — in connection with the deals totalling $208 million.
“The preliminary investigation has revealed that the kickbacks were routed from subsidiaries of Embraer to Khanna through Interdev. The agency sleuths also carried out searches at places in the national capital on Thursday,” sources said, adding that there are allegations that the commission in Embraer deal was routed through Austria and Switzerland also.
Earlier, Mr Khanna had faced the CBI probe in a gun deal involving a South African company in which the agency had to file a closure report as it could not gather enough evidence from abroad, they added. He also faced the agency probe in the Barak missile deal with Israel and sale of arms to Pakistan.
They said the agency, which registered a preliminary enquiry in September, has converted it into a regular FIR on October 18 as enough prima facie material is found to proceed in the case. The deal for the three aircraft, which were to be used by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for air-borne radar systems, was inked with Embraer in 2008. A Brazilian newspaper had alleged that the aviation company had taken the services of middlemen to clinch deals in Saudi Arabia and India. According to defence procurement rules of India, middlemen are strictly barred in such deals. Leading Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo had reported that the company allegedly paid commissions to a UK-based defence agent to finalise the deal with India.
The DRDO had purchased three aircraft from the company in 2008 and customised them for serving as air-borne radar system known as airborne early-warning and control systems or Awacs for the Indian Air Force.
