New Delhi, Feb 11: The Supreme Court will tomorrow hear a CBI application for modifying its earlier order for releasing the passport of arms dealer Vipin Khanna, whom the agency has said is wanted for alleged kickbacks paid in the Denel arms deal and Barak missile purchase as well as for supplying arms to Pakistan.
The CBI moved an application through Additional Solicitor General Amrinder Sharan immediately after the apex court on February five asked the Enforcement Directorate to hand over the passport to Khanna, a kin of former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, by February 15.
The court's order came after Khanna's counsel Soli Sorabjee contended before a two-judge bench that his client wanted to visit Britain for medical treatment and to retain his NRI status.
The direction was passed by the court after Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam told it that neither the Enforcement Directorate nor the CBI had any material to effect the detention or arrest of Khanna, though the investigating agency roped in Sharan as its counsel to challenge the release of the passport.
The CBI quickly moved an application before a bench of Justices C K Thakker and L K Panta, requesting a modification of the order, that was posted for hearing tomorrow.
The CBI contended in its application that Khanna was required for investigations in connection with the purchase of arms from South Africa's Denel company, the Barak missile deal with Israel and sales of arms to countries that were inimical to India's interests (Pakistan).
Ahead of the hearing in the Supreme Court, the CBI on Friday questioned Khanna, who has also been slapped with three notices by the Enforcement Directorate, after summoning him to the agency's headquarters here.
Sources said he was asked about his reported role in the sale of anti-material rifles by Denel. Khanna was also questioned about the alleged receipt of huge remittances from two Israeli armaments companies by a firm owned by his son, Congress MLA Arvind Khanna, and defence deals allegedly brokered by him with Pakistan, the sources said.
Initial findings about the alleged receipt of kickbacks in the Denel deal had come to the CBI in April last year after Varas Associates, based in the Isle of Man, responded to India's letters rogatory and gave details of remittances allegedly made to Khanna by Denel, sources said.
The CBI sent letters rogatory to South Africa, Hong Kong and Britain, seeking details of financial transations involving Denel and Varas Associates.
A case in connection with the alleged payment of a 12.75 percent commission in the anti-material rifle deal was registered against defence ministry officials, Denel and its officials, Varas Associates and its officials and others.
The CBI alleged Denel paid Varas Associates 24,08,373 dollars and 10,99,672 dollars on January 27, 2003 and 1,51,350 dollars on June 19 the same year.
The CBI also contended that if Khanna was allowed to go out of the country, he could destroy some vital evidence as he had allegedly done when the ED was seeking some details from overseas, sources said.
Bureau Report
