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13 Jul 2009
29 Mar 2009

54 posts categorized "ScamWatch"

02 February 2010

German President arrives in India under cloud of Airbus issues

02 Feb 2010 8ak: German President Horst Koehler arrived in India on Monday for a week-long visit with a high powered business delegation. He will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on enhancing the bilateral ties between the two nations before visiting Mumbai and Pune. As the German Ambassador Mr Thomas Matussek said that the refueller tender cancellation for Airbus was a nasty surprise (Telegraph report), the Airbus-Air India deal is under CBI investigation over a US$175m commercial offset clause mandated by the Empowered Group of Ministers which was diluted by Air India negotiators (DNA report).  

Koehler, the former chief of International Monetary Fund (IMF) will also meet RBI Governor D. Subbarao to discuss the impact of global melt down, apart from meeting President Pratibha Patil, UPA Chief Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishhna and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha (Lower house of Indian Parliament) Sushma Swaraj. 

 "The key objective of President Koehler's visit is to open up new avenues for Germany and India to work together in developing a 21st- century world policy based on mutual cooperation," the German Embassy said. The last time a German head of state is visited India was 2003. 

The two leaders are expected to focus on enhancing cooperation in areas of combating international terrorism, climate change, poverty alienation and economic cooperation. 8ak sources have revealed that Germany was also likely to propose a civil nuclear deal to New Delhi.

The visit is also give a much needed boost to four pacts including one on security and counter-terrorism, economic and technical cooperation, social security and corporate social responsibility, which have been in the pipeline for a long time, but not signed due to bureaucratic delays in New Delhi. 

The relationship between the two nations has improved drastically the two nations signed a strategic alliance pact in 2001. Over the years Germany has emerged as India's biggest trade partner in the European Union with bilateral trade of more than US$20 billion.

28 January 2010

Defence Minister overrules Army chief in Sukhna land scam case

28 Jan 2010 8ak: Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony has overruled Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor’s decision of taking administrative action against Lt Gen Prakash in Sukhna land scam and asked the army chief to initiate court marshal proceedings against the Military Secretary (MS). 

There were strong indications that the defence minister was unhappy over the lighter quantum of punishment being awarded to the MS in comparison to the much harsher court marshal proceeding initiated against the other three generals involved in the same case.

According to 8ak sources, Antony was so unhappy with Kapoor over his decision of initiating different punishment procedure for the MS and other generals, that the minister met the chief on army day for only a few minutes whereas the appointment sought was for half an hour. The sources also say that the chief was severely reprimanded for adopting different parameters when it came to taking unbiased and appropriate action. 

Lt Gen Prakash was sent home on 14 Jan, a fortnight before his retirement, after a Court of Inquiry (CoI) indicted him and three other Generals after finding them guilty in a land scam. The Court of Inquiry conducted by Eastern command headed by chief designate Lt Gen V.K. Singh has concluded that Prakash used ‘his position of authority to pressurise’ the 33 Corps staff based in Darjeeling district of West Bengal and ‘influenced’ its chief Lt-Gen P.K. Rath to favour Agarwal, who happens to be the person seeking NOC from the Army. 

The CoI report also says, Lt Gen Prakash has long-standing links with Agarwal. The accusation is based on the claim that Agarwal was entrusted with carrying out a construction project at IMTRAT (Indian Military Training Team) stationed in Bhutan permanently, during the military secretary’s tenure as its commandant in 2006. The Army has ordered disciplinary proceedings against 33 Corps commander Lt Gen P.K. Rath and issued show-cause notice to military secretary Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash, 11 Corps commander Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali and Major Gen P.C. Sen. While other Generals have been given 30-days to reply to the show-cause notice, the Military Secretary was granted only 15-days.

All major newspapers have this story including "Chandigarh Times"

15 January 2010

MHA asks for fresh bid after scam in bullet proof procurement exposed

15 Jan 2010 8ak: The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the bidders to resubmit the samples for the proposed procurement of bullet proof jackets for the Paramilitary forces after reports of rigging the ballistic trial for short-listing vendors to supply these jackets by an official of the technical evaluation committee surfaced. One rumour (single source, unreliable) is that in a form where 4 signatures were required, the vests were passed after obtaining only 2.  

The government had constituted a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) and Technical Advisory Committee to look into the matters relating to the trialand selection of the bullet proof jackets. The TEC was headed by Director General (DG) Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) and included the accused R.K. Verma, Joint Director, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, a laboratory under the DRDO, which was responsible for the ballistic tests. 

The scam broke out when a CD purportedly containing conversations between Verma and one of the bidders was received by the Advisory committee for the project headed by CRPF DG A.S. Gill.  Reports suggest that Verma who has been called from Chandigarh to New Delhi for questioning by the officials of Intelligence bureau and CRPF has admitted to the voice in the CD being his. 

Earlier 8ak had reported that the government was proposing to buy 59,000 light weight bullet proof jackets for six-Para-military forces. The six Para-military forces include Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guard, and Seema Suraksha Bal & Assam Rifles. The government is taking a very serious note of the alleged allegations as it concerns matters pertaining to national security and also because corruption is suspected in the procurement of vests that Karkare was wearing when he was gunned down by terrorists. Meanwhile, DRDO has been asked to clean up its act and the tainted ballistic trials could be held again.

03 January 2010

Mumbai cops caught partying with criminal gang members


03 Jan 2009 8ak: Mumbai Mirror has a good report of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Prakash Wani dancing at a party of D.K. Rao. He was said to be accompanied by a senior inspector and possibly the DCP. The State Home minister has ordered an enquiry in to the accident. The citizens of India need to voice their strong protest to punish those involved. 

15 December 2009

How Israeli companies are corrupting Indian defence

15 Dec 2009 8ak: In November, an Israeli correspondent made 8ak aware of a video that had been released in Israel about how Israeli companies are corrupting Indian defence. The original article is here and the translation from the correspondent is below. 8ak has not verified any of the information presented, cannot vouch for its accuracy and is publishing it as is with all its grammatical and other mistakes.

"It works bribe Israeli industry in India"

Indians want to buy weapons, the Israelis want to sell weapons to succeed, Israeli arms dealers bribe anything that moves. Researched "fact" reveals how the industry operates that bribes, how really closed major weapons transactions and how deep the involvement of senior officials.

Israeli arms industry in India, according to foreign publications, rolls billions of transactions with millions of commissions and bribes of tens of millions. Money transferred in suitcases, wrapped in newspaper accounts or pass through the Caribbean Monaco. This industry sells more in India than anywhere else in the world: missiles, bullets, rifles and artillery, billion dollars a year.

This method is known for years the group members called "the Israeli defense establishment" several senior people become rich because of her. Benefit the people who care about the past, arms dealers, now earn well with those merchants. Anyone who spoke with us from industry, from top defense, stressed that "you can not do business in India without paying bribes.

Arms dealers meet, generally, in luxury clubs are closed to members only or in the lobby of one of the luxury hotels in New Delhi. Everyone knows the Israeli companies operating in the huge country and everybody knows the corrupt system. Simple. Indians want to buy weapons - and lots of Israelis want to sell weapons - a lot, and they bribe anything that moves.

Tens of millions are transferred in suitcases

Israeli relationship exploded a few years ago there complicating Israel corruption scandal and weapons, and none of it was exposed were it not for a bunch of journalists out an unprecedented operation called operation west end. It was the first Indian press used the hidden camera.

Journalists went up a ladder of corruption in the Indian missile deal made in Israel showed the footage of exactly how that deal went through. At the height of this crazy journey, something happens to them that no one could have anticipated. They receive an invitation to the home of India's defense minister, George Fernandes.

In those moments was, facing the camera, exactly what the Israeli defense establishment officials continue to deny: an intimate of Defense explains what really caused the Minister to decide to purchase the missile systems, the zero rage of the senior scientific advisor and commander of the Indian Navy.

Pulling the strings

Cshmsc smoke around the system begins to spread out, revealed the figure of a man without which, they say, almost nothing happens in this arena - Sudhir Chaudhary, known as Bunny. According to the Indian Bureau's report, the suspect received "millions of dollars from Israeli Aircraft Industries to bribe the transaction and his Defense Minister.

None of the security establishment agreed to be interviewed for the article. The people we spoke with say at least, in one case, waved Chaudhary’s ties with one of these officials - Amos Yaron, who served until 4 years ago, the Defense Ministry director general for three years is a business partner of Chaudhary.

Less than six months ago, Sudipto Ghosh, one of the most powerful men in India's security establishment was arrested on suspicion of receiving bribes and Israel Military Industries. In May, Ghosh envoy met local citizen, who works for IMI, lunch club members. They did not know Indian FBI agents following their every move.

Mediator passed by representatives of Ghosh suitcase containing about one hundred thousand dollars in cash. "Huge amounts of bribes were due to arrive later in the bloc through the same representative of Israel Military Industries," the official report of the Indian Bureau. Can Israeli merchants really not sell weapons to India without giving a bribe? Local arms dealer acting in South India explained how it works: mediator sent to pay a bribe would ensure his place in the next transaction, so it pays to pay those who send it.

Response of the Defense Ministry investigation:

Israel's defense exports are the mainstay of Israel's national security. Security industry is subject to Israeli law and international. All suspected or claimed seriously examined by the competent authorities. Indian authorities receive a complaint will be investigated thoroughly and transparently as part of the friendly relations between the two countries.

Moshe's response Kravitz investigation:

Law-abiding citizen I gave up on a number of desirable jobs after military service to meet the provisions of the cold. I'm sorry you chose the wrong man to serve as an example of the method is unacceptable Maayani I had a part.

Reaction of Uri Manor Research:

I do not mean to treat Lshalotichm baseless because that violation of confidentiality of business and damage unjustified privacy.

Response Amos Yaron's attorney investigation:

All being said in an article about Colonel Major General, Amos Yaron, is false. Ilana Dayan Yaron provided unequivocal evidence that the information in its possession is not true. We are sorry that she chose to ignore them.

Response of Ehud gardeners investigation:

All moves normal business clean. Even after I retired from the industry I'm careful about the security of Yore Dea Kotzo maintaining transparency procedures. I did not no revolving door, I worked for Charles Audrey - Israel or the world. No I was not employed by anyone with whom I had relationships in my job. I am proud that I continue to maintain relationships with people with whom I worked during my years the security industry.

Rafael reaction investigation:

Questions are recycled periodically flooded by interests. Rafael company complies with all laws and regulations.

IMI response research:

All our communications are carried out in the Order competitive procedures while maintaining control of the law. All transactions in India, we've implemented the customer satisfaction and contributed to strengthening ties between the countries. The investigation is based on baseless allegations propagated by interested parties.

IAI response research:

The article claims cycle basis already been tested by authorized bodies and found them really. Hiding behind claims of hostile political and commercial elements who want to harm Israel's relations - India. He was made a substantive examination shows that she was Indian procurement process is orderly and controlled in any project which won the Israeli industry proven technological superiority by them economically attractive. Another cycle of futile complaints only transactions may thwart billions of dollars and harm livelihoods of thousands of families in Israel. In this situation you can not see any room for further consideration of the Company.

Mikael research firm response:

Mikael is working illegally and will continue. She had paid bribes and 'Audrey is a shareholder in the company.

08 December 2009

3 men arrested in Mumbai for illegally possessing Uranium

08 Dec 2009: Read the DNA report here