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Tech transfer part of original pact: Former BEML CMD
Widening the ambit into the Tatra truck procurement scam, the CBI on Friday questioned former BEML CMD TVS Shastri at the agency headquarters during which the former PSU boss provided crucial information pertaining to the irregularities in the supply of the all terrain vehicles.
During questioning by CBI sleuths, Shastri revealed that transfer of technology was part of the original agreement inked by BEML with Czech company Tatra, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for supply of the trucks. However, present BEML CMD VRS Natarajan concealed this crucial aspect of the contract and misled the defence PSU into signing a fresh transfer of technology agreement in 2003 with UK-based Tatra Sipox, an intermediary company and not an OEM, Shastri is learnt to have told the CBI investigators.
Shastri, sources said, also alleged that axle technology that was part of the original agreement was never provided to BEML. The agency suspects that lack of indegenisation of component manufacturing as envisaged in the deal was deliberately done so as to inflate the price of the assembled Tatra trucks.
According to the original agreement, as much as 80 per cent of components used in the vehicle should have been indegenised by 1991-92 but has not been done till date.
The agency has so far questioned Vectra boss Ravi Rishi, Natrajan, retired brigadier PC Das, retired Colonel Anil Dutta besides Vectra executive Anil Mansa Ramani in connection with the probe into the scam.
Widening the ambit into the Tatra truck procurement scam, the CBI on Friday questioned former BEML CMD TVS Shastri at the agency headquarters during which the former PSU boss provided crucial information pertaining to the irregularities in the supply of the all terrain vehicles.
During questioning by CBI sleuths, Shastri revealed that transfer of technology was part of the original agreement inked by BEML with Czech company Tatra, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for supply of the trucks. However, present BEML CMD VRS Natarajan concealed this crucial aspect of the contract and misled the defence PSU into signing a fresh transfer of technology agreement in 2003 with UK-based Tatra Sipox, an intermediary company and not an OEM, Shastri is learnt to have told the CBI investigators.
Shastri, sources said, also alleged that axle technology that was part of the original agreement was never provided to BEML. The agency suspects that lack of indegenisation of component manufacturing as envisaged in the deal was deliberately done so as to inflate the price of the assembled Tatra trucks.
According to the original agreement, as much as 80 per cent of components used in the vehicle should have been indegenised by 1991-92 but has not been done till date.
The agency has so far questioned Vectra boss Ravi Rishi, Natrajan, retired brigadier PC Das, retired Colonel Anil Dutta besides Vectra executive Anil Mansa Ramani in connection with the probe into the scam.
