New Delhi: The CBI has asked BEML Chairman
and Managing Director VRS Natarajan to appear before it on
Tuesday for seeking clarifications pertaining to procurement
and supply of Tatra all-terrain trucks.
CBI sources said Natarajan has been asked to appear only
to clarify some points as he is not an accused in the case.
The central probe agency is likely to ask him the reasons
for allegedly renewing the supply contract with Tatra Sipox UK
in 2003 much before it was required in 2006.
Natarajan may also be asked details of payments made to
Tatra Sipox UK and procurement process of equipment used in
assembling these trucks, they said.
In 1997, Tatra Sipox UK had signed the truck supply deal
with BEML which was in alleged violation of defence
procurement rules stating that procurement should be done
directly from original equipment manufacturer only, the
sources said.
The CBI has alleged that since Tatra Sipox UK was not the
original manufacturer of these all-terrain trucks, the rule
that defence procurements should be made from original
manufacturer was violated.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, April 14, 2012, 19:04