Defence Minister George Fernandes on Wednesday made a qualified offer of an inquiry into any of the specific transactions covered by CAG report on Kargil war procurements which has prompted a political storm. Whatever the findings of the CAG, the defence ministry will respond to them both through its Action Taken Report (ATR) and whatever other action that may be necessary in specific cases, he told reporters.
Asked if the ministry would order an inquiry, Fernandes said yes in specific transactions if necessary.
Infact, he said, as defence minister he had requested the CAG for a special audit of the Kargil-related purchases during 1999 and 2000. Maintaining that Master General of Ordnance (MGO) had decided to close the entire proposal of purchasing aluminium caskets in May 1997 from an American firm Victor Baiz as it was too expensive, Fernandes said it was revived after army's eastern command chief Lt. General R Eipe made a request to then army chief Gen. V P Malik.
Price negotiations were held with the US company on July 28, 1999 and the Price Negotiation Committee (PNC) finalised it at 2,500 US dollars per casket, he said adding that the approval was given by the defence secretary. At no point of time, the defence minister came into the picture. In fact, I came to know about this transaction on receipt of the CAG report recently, he said voicing confidence that we will get back a total of Rs 92 lakhs due from the American firm.
Bureau Report