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March 21, 2001

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CBI probing nine major defence deals
concluded after 1989

The Central Bureau of Investigation is probing nine major defence deals, including procurement of armaments like weapon locating radars, hand held directional finders and supply of smoke ammunition from South Africa for 155mm guns, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Defence Minister Jaswant Singh told the House in a written reply that the CBI report on alleged irregularities on procurement of weapon locating radars had been submitted to the Central Vigilance Commission.

On procurement of 36 hand held directional finders from a Japanese firm M/s Taiyo Musen Limited, Singh said CBI had not found proof of irregularities in the deal.

On supply of smoke ammunition for 155mm guns, the minister said the CBI was probing into the case as also in the case of import of ammunition from a Hong Kong-based company Pitcare.

The other cases that the CBI was investigating related to irregularities in procurement of developed items and crucibles for the Eastern Naval Command and local purchases at the Naval Supply Depot in Port Blair, he added.

Jaswant Singh said as far as the case of irregularities in procurement of crucibles was concerned, CBI was pursuing the case in a designated court in Vishakhapatnam.

He said the government, in consultation with the CVC and Comptroller and Auditor General, was planning to go in for time-bound scrutiny of all purchases above Rs 750 million by the CAG and where necessary by the CVC.

The minister said recently it had come to light that spare parts of some guns had been found missing from Central Ordinance Depot, Jabalpur.

He said a preliminary investigation had revealed that ordnance stores weighing about 989 kgs and worth more than Rs 1.74 million had been lost. A Court of Inquiry had been ordered into the issue, he added.

The minister said a contract had recently been signed for procurement of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for the Indian Air Force and negotiations were in progress for UAVs for the navy.

He said the army had been using UAVs since 1996.

PTI

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