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The government on Monday put on hold contracts with Rolls-Royce after the defence ministry initiated blacklisting proceedings against the firm. India will also seek information from Britain about its investigations against Rolls-Royce there, sources said.
A bribery scandal involving aero engines earlier on Sunday threatened to cast a shadow over several key air force programmes. The defence ministry asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe bribery allegations against the British engineering company in connection with contracts to supply aircraft engines to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The agency will investigate all contracts the firm signed with HAL during 2007-11, an official said.
the development could have serious implications for the military’s Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) programme, as the contracts relate to supplying Adour Mk871 engines for AJTs being built under-licence by HAL.
If charges are proved and the firm is eventually blacklisted, there could be implications for other projects too. Rolls-Royce engines also power the IAF’s C 130J Super Hercules special operations aircraft, Jaguar strike fighters and Embraer luxury jets for VVIPs. Roll-Royce could not be reached for comments.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday demanded a court-monitored probe into the alleged bribery scandal. The party was not satisfied with the CBI probe ordered by the defence minister alleging the government was in the habit of hiding scams and indulging in cover-ups.
"The Congress regime always tried to hide the scam in the first place and deny the existence of the scam afterwards. It instituted investigation only when cornered by the circumstances.
"The investigation makes progress only if it is monitored by the courts, otherwise it becomes a cover-of operation. We demand a court-monitored probe into this," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.
He said it is intriguing that every major scam during UPA rule has been discovered outside India and it is only then that the government is forced to order a domestic investigation.
He said in this series, UK Serious Fraud Office arrested arms dealer Sudhir Chaudhary and his son Bhanu and initiated investigations into the allegations of fraud in the defence deal, only after which UPA was forced to order a CBI probe.
"India does not want scams to come out. It wants to suppress them. Congress attitude towards corruption is to keep quiet and suppress the truth from coming out," he said, adding Congress-led UPA government was forced to institute a CBI inquiry as Indian Defence Procurement System does not allow middlemen or advisors/consultants.
India has inked separate contracts worth more than Rs. 15,000 crore with aerospace major BAE Systems for 123 AJTs. The air force plans to induct 106 AJTs (60-plus already in service), while the remaining are to be assigned to the navy. Only 24 AJTs were supplied by BAE Systems in 'flyaway condition'.
The Hawks have simplified pilot training by serving as a bridge between subsonic trainers and supersonic fighters such as Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage 2000 and Jaguar that combat pilots finally fly.
Antony ordered the CBI probe weeks after arms dealer Sudhir Choudhrie and his son Bhanu were arrested in the UK for their alleged involvement in a kickback scandal involving Rolls-Royce. The Serious Fraud Office of the UK is currently probing allegations that the firm paid bribes to bag deals in China and Indonesia.
The investigation comes as a major blow to Rolls-Royce as it has a huge presence in India across defence aerospace, civil aerospace, energy and marine sectors. It has more than 1,350 engines in service in the country, including RB211 engines that power major gas pipelines with Gas Authority of India Limited.
Antony ordered the CBI probe after an HAL investigation found the bribery charges weren’t unsubstantiated.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Latest National News from India, States, Cities
1190496.aspx
A bribery scandal involving aero engines earlier on Sunday threatened to cast a shadow over several key air force programmes. The defence ministry asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe bribery allegations against the British engineering company in connection with contracts to supply aircraft engines to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The agency will investigate all contracts the firm signed with HAL during 2007-11, an official said.
the development could have serious implications for the military’s Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) programme, as the contracts relate to supplying Adour Mk871 engines for AJTs being built under-licence by HAL.
If charges are proved and the firm is eventually blacklisted, there could be implications for other projects too. Rolls-Royce engines also power the IAF’s C 130J Super Hercules special operations aircraft, Jaguar strike fighters and Embraer luxury jets for VVIPs. Roll-Royce could not be reached for comments.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday demanded a court-monitored probe into the alleged bribery scandal. The party was not satisfied with the CBI probe ordered by the defence minister alleging the government was in the habit of hiding scams and indulging in cover-ups.
"The Congress regime always tried to hide the scam in the first place and deny the existence of the scam afterwards. It instituted investigation only when cornered by the circumstances.
"The investigation makes progress only if it is monitored by the courts, otherwise it becomes a cover-of operation. We demand a court-monitored probe into this," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.
He said it is intriguing that every major scam during UPA rule has been discovered outside India and it is only then that the government is forced to order a domestic investigation.
He said in this series, UK Serious Fraud Office arrested arms dealer Sudhir Chaudhary and his son Bhanu and initiated investigations into the allegations of fraud in the defence deal, only after which UPA was forced to order a CBI probe.
"India does not want scams to come out. It wants to suppress them. Congress attitude towards corruption is to keep quiet and suppress the truth from coming out," he said, adding Congress-led UPA government was forced to institute a CBI inquiry as Indian Defence Procurement System does not allow middlemen or advisors/consultants.
India has inked separate contracts worth more than Rs. 15,000 crore with aerospace major BAE Systems for 123 AJTs. The air force plans to induct 106 AJTs (60-plus already in service), while the remaining are to be assigned to the navy. Only 24 AJTs were supplied by BAE Systems in 'flyaway condition'.
The Hawks have simplified pilot training by serving as a bridge between subsonic trainers and supersonic fighters such as Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage 2000 and Jaguar that combat pilots finally fly.
Antony ordered the CBI probe weeks after arms dealer Sudhir Choudhrie and his son Bhanu were arrested in the UK for their alleged involvement in a kickback scandal involving Rolls-Royce. The Serious Fraud Office of the UK is currently probing allegations that the firm paid bribes to bag deals in China and Indonesia.
The investigation comes as a major blow to Rolls-Royce as it has a huge presence in India across defence aerospace, civil aerospace, energy and marine sectors. It has more than 1,350 engines in service in the country, including RB211 engines that power major gas pipelines with Gas Authority of India Limited.
Antony ordered the CBI probe after an HAL investigation found the bribery charges weren’t unsubstantiated.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Latest National News from India, States, Cities
1190496.aspx
