The CBI is analysing the documents sent to it by the defence ministry, requesting the agency to look into the allegations of corruption in the purchase of three Embraer aircraft for the Defence Resear
The CBI is analysing the documents sent to it by the defence ministry, requesting the agency to look into the allegations of corruption in the purchase of three Embraer aircraft for the Defence Research and Development Organisation in 2008.
According to sources, the agency sleuths are going through the reference, and any decision to start a probe in the matter will be taken only after analysing all the related documents.
“If the agency is satisfied that it has enough prima facie evidence to initiate an FIR, it will register a case to probe the matter or else it might register a preliminary enquiry to gather evidence for registering a regular case,” the sources said.
The allegations of corruption in the deal surfaced in a Brazilian paper which alleged that Embraer had taken the services of middlemen to clinch deals to supply aircraft to Saudi Arabia and India.
According to India’s defence procurement rules, middlemen are strictly barred in such deals.
Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo had reported last week that Embraer allegedly paid commissions to a UK-based defence agent to finalise $208 million deal with India. The DRDO had purchased three aircraft from the company in 2008 and customised them for serving as an airborne radar system known as airborne early-warning and control systems, or AWACS, for the Indian Air Force.
The newspaper had claimed that the US justice department was scrutinising Embraer’s deal with India. The company has been under investigation by the US justice department since 2010, when a contract with the Dominican Republic raised the Americans’ suspicions, it said. Following the allegations, the defence ministry referred the matter to the CBI, asking it to probe the allegations.
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar had sought a report from the DRDO following which the matter was referred to CBI.
“If there is a criminal angle, then we can give it (probe) to CBI. The Defence Ministry cannot investigate criminal angle,” he had said when asked whether the probe would be handed over to CBI.
