Tatra Thriller becomes Murkier

15 Apr 2012 04:03:49 PM IST

NEW DELHI: As the Tatra truck scandal threatens to escalate into a full blown Bofors-like defence scandal for the UPA, the omnipotent CMD of public sector unit Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML), VRS Natarajan, has come into focus over questionable purchases of defence equipment through illegal intermediaries. Fifty-nine year-old Natarajan is the longest serving head of the organisation, remaining at the helm of affairs for an uninterrupted 10 years, quite a feat given the many close shaves with infamy he has had. Natarajan, or Rajan as he’s being referred to in CBI circles, took over as CMD, BEML, in November 2002. It’s a post usually held by army veterans or persons with a technical background.
The Tatra plot is murkier than that of a disreputable thriller. One of BEML’s chief functions is to put together trucks for the Indian Army, that are used to ferry infantry, heavy artillery and missiles. CBI officials—who have been digging into the affairs at BEML ever since Army Chief V K Singh blew the lid, via his `14-crore bribe allegation—have found truckloads of material pertaining to not-so-above-board contracts with a shady company, an unexplained change in the currency of transactions from US dollars to the Euro and manipulations to maintain BEML’s monopoly hold over the army’s truck supply business, among others.
What may come to haunt Natarajan, despite his protestations of innocence, are two issues that are at the heart of the current probe—the renewal in 2003 of the contract to buy completely knocked-down kits (CKD) of the Czech-made Tatra trucks with a shady intermediate firm called Tatra Sipox UK (which is not the original manufacturer), and his attempt to pass off Tatra Sipox UK as the sole marketing wing of the Czech firm, which has been disputed by the mother company.
Tatra: Scams test BEML chief’s staying power by Santwana Bhattacharya

Tatra Tainted Natarajan: Ten year old rabbits found in his pockets

Skeletons tumble out of Tatra-tainted Natarajan’s closet
Posted on April 20, 2012 by admin
FRIDAY, 20 APRIL 2012 00:16 PNS | NEW DELHI HITS: 263 – The Pioneer
Under VRS Natarajan, PSU giant BEML was involved in large scale irregularities that went beyond Tatra truck deal. The CBI on Thursday registered an FIR against him for cheating and criminal conspiracy in hiring a consultancy firm without tendering process.
The noose is fast tightening around Natarajan, who has been Chairman and Managing Director of defence PSU BEML for almost a decade, with the CBI set to more cases following sanction for prosecution granted by the Defence Ministry.
At least six complaints of alleged financial misdemeanour by Natarajan is under CBI scanner.
After registering a case against Natarajan and Director of Coimbatore-based Astral Consultants CS Srivatsan for allegedly tweaking tenders to favour the private firm by cheating BEML, the CBI conducted searches at the official and residential premises of the duo at Bangalore and Coimbatore.
Natarajan, Srivatsan and other unnamed persons have been booked under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and certain provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The case related to award of contract for the implementation of Enterprises Resource Planning Project in the public sector undertaking during 2004-09.
According to the CBI FIR, Natarajan and Srivatsan were part of alleged criminal conspiracy to award work worth Rs40 crore to Astral Consultants.
“It is alleged that the accused persons were parties to a criminal conspiracy entered amongst themselves at Bangalore and other places during 2004-09 to cheat M/s BEML in the matter of award of different works relating to the implementation of Enterprises Resource Planning Project in M/s BEML causing wrongful loss to M/s BEML and wrongful gain to others,” a CBI spokesperson said here.
Teams of CBI officials reached the Bangalore-residence of Natarajan, residence of Srivatsan, besides Coimbatore office of Astral and took into their possession some “incriminating” documents related to the tendering process and communications exchanged with the company, CBI sources said.
Natarajan is already facing CBI heat for his suspected role in a separate case regarding alleged irregularities in the procurement and supply of Tatra all terrain vehicles to Army. Natarajan has not been named so far in the Tatra procurement scandal case but the agency suspects that he was the mastermind of the entire scam.
The agency suspects that Natarajan in collusion with Vectra boss Ravi Rishi renewed the deal between BEML and UK-based Tatra Sipox in 2003, four years before the same was to be renewed, for supply of the all terrain vehicles to the Army. Tatra Sipox, according to the CBI FIR, was an intermediary firm and not an original equipment manufacturer. The original manufacturer of the Tatra trucks is Tatra Venus and defence procurement rules provide for procurement from OEMs only.
http://corruptionindrdo.com/2012/04/20/skeletons-tumble-out-of-tatra-tainted-natarajans-closet/

PC and Singhvi must be rested from Lokpal Drafting Committee

Unrecognised user warned to post sex CD of PC after Singhvi.
New Delhi: Despite the ban by Delhi High court, alleged sex CD of Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, goes aired on You Tube and Facebook. However after few hours, You Tube remove the clipping from its site referring it against the policies. The video was posted on a new account which was created on April 19 who again posted the video on You Tube after the site removed it. When You Tube, removed the video for second time, an unrecognized user posted it on Facebook page name as ‘Singhvi Video’. But this time user also posted a warning which reads that every time the video will be deleted, each time he will post it through other websites. Even he also warned that if the video will be deleted again, this time he will also upload the sex video of Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram with a Russian call girl.
CD of PC and Singhvi

Corrupt babus want protection from law enforcing agencies

Adarsh scam: Maharashtra bureaucrats seek protection
The writer has posted comments on this article Prafulla Marapakwar, TNN | Apr 20, 2012, 02.57AM IST
MUMBAI: Left anxious by the Adarsh housing society scam and the course of the investigation into it, top bureaucrats have urged the chief minister Prithviraj Chavan to introduce a mechanism whereby law enforcement agencies have to first seek the permission of higher authorities before taking action against a civil servant.
Last week, chief secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad along with senior office bearers of the IAS association-including finance secretary Sudhir Shrivastav, forest secretary Pravinsinh Pardesi, revenue secretary Swadhin Kshatriya and CM's principal secretary A K Jain-called on the chief minister. During the meeting, Chavan was asked to take steps to restore the confidence of the bureaucracy, which has ebbed in the wake of the Adarsh scam.
"Our contention in the meeting was that those bureaucrats who took decisions in the interest of the state should be protected. At the same time, we made it clear that we are not asking for errant babus, who took decisions with mala fide decisions, to be protected," said a senior bureaucrat who was part of the delegation. The officer added that the meeting was not to defend the "accused in the Adarsh scam since our view is that law should take its course".
The bureaucrat asserted that there is a real need for a mechanism that prohibits law enforcement agencies to take action against senior civil servants until they have first received the permission of higher authorities. He said such a safeguard is necessary because, many times, officials take decisions while discharging duties with honest intentions. But investigators do not first verify the facts. As soon as an FIR is lodged, law enforcers arrest the babus under the scanner.
Also, the senior bureaucrat maintained, officials at the level of principal and additional chief secretary have to sign a large number of files every day. It is therefore not possible for them to thoroughly read all the files. Under such circumstances, unwitting mistakes are possible. "We feel that the investigating agency should verify the intention of the bureaucrat and then decide the course of action," he said.
"We told the chief minister that if there is a criminal complaint against an official for taking a decision, such a complaint should be brought to the notice of the appointing authority. Action should be taken on the basis of the appointing authority's recommendations," the bureaucrat said.
Meanwhile, a senior bureaucrat said that after the ongoing budget session is over on Friday, Chavan will meet the chief secretary, law secretary and advocate general to decide the course of action following the Adarsh commission report.
Chavan has said that his government will not ask the CBI to abandon its investigation nor will it submit a report of the Adarsh commission to defence minister A K Antony. "The judicial commission has submitted a report on limited issues, while the CBI is probing wider issues. As such, there is no question of asking the CBI to stop the probe," Chavan said.
Maharashtra bureaucrats seek protection
Comment: Only an effective Lokpal as suggested by Anna Hazare will deter babus from money laundering, benami and black money transanctions. Governance in India is reduced to Ground Zero.

Chennai: Ex-Army officer gets life for murder of teenager

A retired Army officer has been sentenced to a lifetime in prison for the murder of a teenager who was shot dead while plucking almonds from a tree in Army property in Chennai.
Retired army officer Lt Col Kandasami Ramraj was today given the life term by a Chennai court for killing 13-year-old Dilshan on July 3 last year. Dilshan had trespassed into the Army officers residence on Flag Staff Road, Chennai to pluck fruits.
Ramraj was arrested on July 10, 2011 by the CB-CID for the murder. He has maintained he was innocent in the case, which largely stood on circumstantial evidence. But the Chennai court today upheld the murder charge against the retired Lt Colonel.
Dilshan, who stayed in a locality adjacent to the Army quarters, fell victim to a mysterious bullet while collecting almonds. His family alleged he was shot by an Army personnel.
The post-mortem report established a bullet injury had killed Dilshan when he scaled the Army campus.
Following a public outcry, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered a probe by the Crime Branch. Subsequent probe pointed at the Lt Colonel as the possible offender.
Lt Col Ramraj gets life term for murder

CBI's diversionary raids on BEML Chief: CBI could pull a few more rabbits?

Tatra punch packed with raid heat on BEML chief By Mail Today Reporter
PUBLISHED: 19:28 GMT, 19 April 2012 | UPDATED: 19:28 GMT, 19 April 2012
The CBI on Thursday opened another front to pin down the tainted chief of the state-run Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) who has already been neck deep in trouble for the multi-crore military truck scandal.
The sleuths registered a case of corruption against BEML chairman and managing director VRS Natarajan for irregularities in engaging the services of a consultancy firm to implement an enterprises resource planning project.
It's a parallel case that the CBI was probing apart from the primary inquiry into the BEML-Tatra trucks deal. Agency sleuths said after exhaustive raids at Natarajan's houses and offices that they were probing the new case.
A BEML spokesperson also made it clear the raids were not connected with the truck deal. 'A case against the BEML CMD and a director of a Coimbatore based company has been registered under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Searches are being carried out in the offices and residential premises of the accused,' a CBI statement said. The agency said the company in question was Astral Consulting Ltd in Coimbatore.
CBI officials added that Natarajan and the promoters of Astral connived to defraud the public sector undertaking through irregularities in the tendering process for hiring a consultancy to implement the enterprises resource planning project. 'It was alleged that the accused persons were party to a criminal conspiracy in Bangalore and other places during 2004-2009 to cheat BEML through work relating to the implementation of the enterprises resource planning project. This caused wrongful loss to the PSU (BEML) and wrongful gain to others,' the CBI said. The investigating agency, which interrogated Natarajan throughout the day, said the raids were based on credible information.
The CBI booked Natarajan and Astral director C.S. Srivatsan under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code, besides Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Sources said the CBI could pull a few more rabbits as it goes through the load of complaints against Natarajan. However, the officials refused to divulge details. Apart from the BEML chief, the CBI on Thursday questioned Brig. (retd) P.C. Das, Col (retd) Anil Datta and Anil Mansharamani for their role in the Tatra scam. Their homes were raided the day before.
Mansharamani, a Tatra employee, was said to be regularly in touch with the two former army officers who were suspected to have lobbied for Tatra using their clout in the army. Sources said they were questioned for their links with the UKbased Tatra Sipox and its owner Ravi Rishi. The Tatra controversy erupted in full force after the army chief, Gen. V. K. Singh, said last month that a retired Lt-Gen. had offered him a bribe of Rs 14 crore to clear the purchase of 600 substandard Tatra trucks.
It was suspected later that the officer in question was Lt-Gen. (retd) Tejinder Singh. Since then, the BEML-Tatra deal has come under intense scrutiny.
Read more: CBI could pull a few more rabbits

Rajat Gupta New face of India?

New allegation of insider trading against Gupta PTI Apr 19,2012
U.S. prosecutors have added a new allegation of insider trading against India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, who will face trial in May on charges of passing confidential information to convicted hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam.

In an April 9 letter to Judge Jed Rakoff of the Southern District of New York, made public on Monday, the prosecutors said they have informed Gupta’s lawyers of a “new tip” about consumer goods major Proctor and Gamble’s organic sales forecast that he allegedly passed on to Mr. Rajaratnam in 2008.
The government has added in its Bill of Particulars information which alleges that “Gupta disclosed to Rajaratnam, and their known and unknown co-conspirators, material, non-public information relating to P&G’s organic sales growth forecast for the October-December quarter prior to P&G’s public announcement on or about December 11, 2008.”
In the indictment filed against Mr. Gupta last year, prosecutors had charged that in January 2009 Mr. Gupta passed on information to Mr. Rajaratnam over phone about P&G’s forecast for its organic sales growth for the fiscal year as well as its earnings release planned for the next day.
Prosecutors said they received the new information through instant messages and emails contained in a hard drive that was submitted to them on April 5.
They reviewed these instant messages and emails before determining they should be added to the allegation against Mr. Gupta.
The government said it understands that it cannot amend the Bill of Particulars with new allegations for strategic reasons, and any amendments must be for “something that was genuinely not identified at the time.”
Prosecutors told the judge that they are waiting for outstanding requests for information from a number of third-parties for details relating to P&G’s public announcement of its earnings on or about January 31, 2008.
They said if the government receives additional information that warrants a new allegation of a tip in the insider trading conspiracy; it will promptly notify the defence and not wait for the deadline of three weeks prior to trial for any further amendments to the Bill of Particulars.
“Although the government believes that there is evidence of additional tips from Mr. Gupta to Mr. Rajaratnam in furtherance of the charged conspiracy, the government does not intend at this time to offer evidence of such tips in its case-in-chief,” the prosecutors said in the filing.
Mr. Gupta, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges of insider trading, will go on trial on May 21 in federal court here. Sri Lankan-origin Mr. Rajaratnam was convicted last May of running the massive insider trading scheme and is currently in prison serving his 11-year sentence.
Insider Trading Mumbai Style does not work in US
Comment: We need couple of Rajat Gupta's to head to China... and collapse their economy.

Tatra Spectra: ESM scumbags need to be rested

18 Apr 2012 04:04:09 PM IST
Tatra truck deal case: CBI raids two places in Noida
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Wednesday conducted search operations at the homes of two former army officers in Delhi and Noida and recovered key documents related to its probe into alleged irregularities in the procurement of Tatra trucks, sources said.
CBI sources said searches were also being conducted at the residence of an official of the Britain-based Vectra group that supplies the all-terrain heavy duty Tatra trucks to the Indian Army through defence public sector undertaking Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. (BEML).
The sources said raids were conducted at the homes of Brig (retd) P.C. Das in Delhi and Col (retd) Anil Datta in Noida. Searches were also conducted at the home of Vectra employee Anil Mansaramani.
The sources said three teams of CBI sleuths conducted the searches that began early Wednesday morning. Some crucial documents expected to help in investigating the scam-tainted truck deal have been found, the sources claimed.
The CBI search operations come a day after the agency questioned three people, including former BEML director V. Mohan, the company's present chief V.R.S. Natarajan and Vectra group chief Ravinder Rishi, in connection with alleged lapses in the supply of Tatra trucks.
Tatra is a Czech manufacturer and owned by Britain's Vectra that supplies truck parts to BEML.
BEML assembles the trucks and sells them off to the army. Some 7,000 Tatra trucks have been bought by the army since 1986.
Army chief Gen V.K. Singh blew the lid off the alleged scam after he alleged in March that he'd been offered a Rs.14 crore bribe to clear a deal for supplying sub-standard Tatra trucks.
The army in a March 5 press release took the names of Tatra and BEML, alleging that Lt Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh had offered a bribe on behalf of Tatra and Vectra.
The agency was probing why BEML decided to procure Tatra parts from Tatra Sipox (Britain), a private company, from 1997 when it was doing so through Omnipol (a state-owned unit in Czech Republic) since 1986.
The sources said CBI was trying to find out why BEML officials signed an agreement with Tatra Sipox (Britain) in a hurried manner June 14, 1997 in Bangalore, three days after they had a meeting with the firm and its associate companies' officials in Slovakia.
One more company, Venus Projects Ltd., in which Rishi allegedly has some stakes, was under the CBI scanner as he allegedly used it for purchasing spare parts for Tatra trucks, they said.
Tatra deal: CBI raids ex-Army officers' houses
The CBI team raided the residence of Anil Mansharamani, A-23, Sector 36 a businessman and also searched the house of Mr. O.P. Dutta a resident of C-75, Sector 30 whom the CBI suspect to be involved in the multi crore rupees deal.
Tatra a multi crore scam
Comment: CBI should make less noise and arrest the culprits before evidence vanishes... once the ExServicemen turns approver the main criminal mastermind can be nailed.

Adarsh: A calculated Military Ponzi scheme to reap a harvest

Adarsh case: Land does not belong to defence, says interim report
Reported by Priyanka Kakodkar, Written by Mala Das | Updated: April 18, 2012 01:40 IST
Mumbai: In a huge relief to the Maharashtra government, the judicial commission of inquiry looking into the Adarsh housing scam has held that the land on which Adarsh Housing Society stands belongs to the government, and not the Army.
The state government had approached the commission a few months ago seeking an interim report on the points of title and reservation. A two-member panel was set up to probe the scam in January last year.
The panel, which submitted its interim report to the government last Friday, also held that the 31-storey high-rise was not reserved for war heroes and Kargil widows.
Findings of the interim report, many say, could impact the case of the CBI that's running a parallel probe contending it's a Defence land grab. The investigating agency, however, says that these findings will not affect its case as it is not investigating the land title but the larger conspiracy and corruption.
When the Adarsh scam broke, politicians, bureaucrats and Armymen were accused of grabbing Defence land. This report comes as a vindication of the state's stand that it was government land and it was free to allot it.
"From day one, we have been saying the same thing. But the issue was so hyped by the media and after a lot of publicity and media attention, nobody accepted the stand of the government," said Union Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told NDTV.
"There is no conspiracy. That is established today," said former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan.
This report provides some relief to those involved in giving initial clearances like former chief ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sushilkumar Shinde.
The judicial panel has been tasked with probing all aspects of the scam, including ownership of the land and allotment, as well as alleged violations of rules in grant of various clearances to the building. The commission is also looking into violation of coastal zone regulations.
The illegal green clearance against which the Union Environment Ministry has taken a strong stand came during Mr Mr Shinde's tenure. During Mr Deshmukh's tenure, doubtful additional building rights were granted to Adarsh. And Mr Chavan still faces charges of conflict of interest as three family members were allotted flats in Adarsh during his tenure as revenue minister.
Original Post- click here
Comment
Who then are the culprits who handed over the Khukri Garden Military Lands to Adarsh? Till that point of time there was no controversy regarding the Military Land Ownership. The criminals have arm- twisted the Military out of its fencing! The Adarsh scam is only a droplet in the ocean- an eye- opener to what is is happening in all the cantonments- Land sharks have ursurped Miltary Lands by paying bribes to title holders at the lowest level but operating from the top....

Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards

Ministry of Defence 17-April, 2012 20:23 IST
The President and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces Smt Pratibha Devisingh Patil conferred two Kirti Chakras and sixteen Shaurya Chakras to Armed Forces Personnel for displaying conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage and extreme devotion to duty at a solemn ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here today. The President also conferred fifteen Param Vishisht Seva Medals, three Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and eighteen Ati Vishisht Seva Medals to senior officers of the Armed Forces for distinguished service of an exceptional order. The following is the list of awardees in order of Presentation: Click here for the detailed listing
Award photos:
Some of the Indian Army's lions being presented with gallantry awards by their Commander-in-Chief
Click Link:
Col Ajai Shukla speaks the cardinal truth in this piece. Truth we would not like to hear. Of lions, deer and military leadership : Ajai Shukla

Tracking Tatra: How are Chidambaram and Vayalar connected?

BJP digs up ‘scam’ against PC, Vayalar sons. Are PC and Ravi sons also treading the Tatra tracks? BEML chief quizzed by CBI
CBI seeks Interpol help to probe Tatra scam links
Neeraj Chauhan, TNN | Apr 17, 2012, 03.47AM IST
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation, probing the Tatra scam spread across four countries including a tax haven, has approached Interpol to get details of companies related to Vectra chief Ravinder Rishi from these four countries. Agency sources said they had moved Interpol to avoid the delay of replies through Letter Rogatories (LRs).

The agency has asked Interpol to provide details of at least five companies in these countries - Czech Republic, Slovakia, UK and Liechtenstein. Meanwhile, agency sources said they also questioned former BEML director (finance) V Mohan in connection with the Tatra deal while present BEML chief V R S Natarajan will be questioned on Tuesday. Sources said Natarajan has confirmed that he will be joining questioning on Tuesday.

The agency, through Interpol, is looking for shareholding pattern of these companies reportedly owned by Ravi Rishi apart from contracts signed by them with the Tatra AS (Czech) and Tatra Sipox (Slovakia). A senior officer said, "There is a web of companies which were apparently used by Ravi Rishi to procure different parts of Tatra trucks and then supplied to Bharat Earth Movers Limited."

The agency has not been able to talk to Army achief General V K Singh but they are expecting that they will arrange a meeting with him by end of this week. Gen Singh, who was allegedly offered a bribe on September 22, 2010 by former Lt Gen Tejinder Singh on behalf of Ravi Rishi, had given his written complaint last week.

The agency is probing why BEML decided to procure Tatra parts from Tatra Sipox (UK), which was a private company, from 1997 when it was doing so through Omnipol (a PSU in Czech Republic, which was providing Tatra parts since 1986). Also, as first reported by TOI, why the BEML officials signed the MoU with Tatra Sipox (UK) in a hurried manner on June 14, 1997 in Bangalore, three days after they had a meeting with Tatra Sipox (UK) and its associate companies' officials in Slovakia.

Officials said that apart from taking help from Interpol, they will also send LRs to these four countries and seek documents.

One more company, in which Ravi Rishi reportedly has stakes - Venus Projects Ltd, is also under the CBI scanner as this company was allegedly used by him for purchasing spare parts for the Tatra trucks.

CBI has registered a case naming Rishi and unnamed officials of defence ministry, Army and BEML on March 30 for alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. CBI is probing alleged irregularities in assigning of supply from Czechoslovakia-based Tatra, with which the agreement was originally signed in 1986, to the Tatra-Sipox UK owned by Rishi in 1997 showing it as original equipment manufacturer and the fully-owned subsidiary of Czech company, they said.
CBI seeks Interpol to unravel Tatra links
Army chief’s letter to PM reflects frustrations: Vayalar Ravi
BJP digs up ‘scam’ against PC, Vayalar sons
Scamsters will never tell the truth unless administered the Truth Pill
click here to read more
Comment: How are Ravi Vayalar, Chidambaram and their children entangled in the Tatra scam? Ravi has inked treaties with tax haven countries. He holds the key to secret bank accounts. Is the CBI wasting time with Interpol when information is right here in the country?

Powerless India: Growth story back to history

Tamilnadu is reeling under load shedding, Poor quality transmission with over 30% loss and theft. Now citizens have to pay through their nose at Rs 5.75 per unit- domestic consumption- this is the world's highest rates for the worst and unreliable electric power (voltage and frequency fluctuations causes breakdown of domestic gadgets). Where are we heading? The Politicains make money in poor quality Power distribution with sops, gimmicks and free electricity for the poor. All in all a sordid state of affairs even for a banana republic...

Indian Airforce bereft of basic trainers

Pressure mounts for air force basic trainer aircraft
rustom said...
What a bunch of Jokers we Indians are. We kill and maim young people who want to defend our country by not giving them trainers and trainers. Then we use fighters to train, it doesnt work gets more pilots killed, and also malign an aircraft. This is going over 15 years now!!! 15 years of sheer murder. Then we Indians have indegenisation programes which actually is laughable, cause indegenisation has proved to be buying foreign stuff by indegenisation offices.. BEML,DRDO,HAL.. NAL..stop procurements directly cause the same indegenisation offices claim they will make the product..again over 15 years and thus leaving the armed forces to be a killing machine..of its own....INSAS is a toy now..but on blogs is a fantastic weapon!!!!!!just as the LCA is comparable to the worlds finest planes....or the LCH rotors RPM going hay wire.

Dinesh said...
So much for our great NAL, HAL, DRDO jokers. They can't even make a propeller driven plane. A technology from almost 100 years ago. Saint Antony gets pressure only when his mama St. Sonia from Vatican tolls the bell.
15 April 2012 14:15
Pressure mounts for air force basic trainer aircraft
Comment: We need to look East and buy from Koreans, Japanese and Chinese. Indians loathe Swiss, Italians, French and Israel Munitions they do business only through bribes and secret bank accounts... taking bribes is a National weakness.

Adarsh Scam: Tardy investigation linked to Tatra Scam

ED issues notices to society members in Adarsh scam, finally
Mumbai, April 15, 2012, DH News Service
Bombay HC had earlier rapped Enforcement Directorate, CBI and Income Tax department for delay in initiating action
A month after the Bombay High Court rebuke, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), late last week, finally issued notices to members of the controversial and “under probe” Adarsh Housing Society, seeking details of the sources of payments made to purchase apartments.
The contentious 31-storey building has been constructed on a plot in south Mumbai’s Colaba region, reportedly earmarked for housing Kargil war heroes and widows.
So far nine people, including two retired major-generals and three senior retired and serving IAS officials have been taken into custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
It is learnt that the ED was awaiting replies this week and may also move court seeking custody of scamsters recently arrested by the investigating agency.
Last month, the court while hearing the multiple-agencies Adarsh scam investigations, directed the Central Bureau of Investigation, Income-Tax (I-T) department and the Enforcement Directorate to hold a joint-meeting to collate information and complete the “delayed,” investigation quickly.
Tardy investigation
The court was incensed over the tardy investigation and castigated the CBI, questioning the delay in initiating action against the “erring” government officers and other accused. The country's premier investigating agency in its status report submitted before the court mentioned that so far it had filed FIR against 15 people alleging manipulation of land documents to usurp the plot.
The court after slamming the CBI also rapped the Enforcement Directorate (ED-FEMA) for its short-shrift replies. The special director ED who was present at the court blamed the CBI for “being cagey about its findings,” adding that carrying out investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act would “lead to duplication of work amongst various agencies”.
All the three agencies were then directed to hold a joint meeting and the CBI was ordered to share specific information pertaining to money-laundering with the ED and findings of unaccounted wealth with the I-T department.
Following severe criticism from the court, the CBI, late last month swung into action and started picking key people involved in the scam. Meanwhile, the I-T officials have also started its scrutiny of accounts and moveable and immoveable assets held by the Adarsh Society members to ascertain the quantum of unaccounted money involved in the sale of apartments in the building.
Adarsh Scam: Trady investigations
Tatra Mafia
"We have observed in the last few days suspicious movements around our office and home. There is an international mafia that is connected to this scam and we fear for our lives. We will seek police protection," says Hanumathappa's son Ananda Kumar in Bangalore.
Tatra Whistleblowers fear death- gone underground to escape Tatra Mafia
Comment: The main Military players have still not been nabbed: Immovable and Movable property of the families of these Generals need to be probed:
1. The CAG report stated that, “General Deepak Kapoor and General NC Vij clearly had conflict of interest in the Adarsh case.”
2. Lt Gen Tejinder Singh "operates in tandem with a Major Hooda (Retd) and his son, both of whom are well known to Karthik Chidambaram,the influential son of Home Minister P Chidambaram". The younger Hooda, a presumed relative of the Haryana Chief Minister, is alleged to be "active in promoting the products of certain agencies, including foreign entities". These sources claim that Tejinder Singh was very close to a former Chief of Army Staff and that he "knows the incoming Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Bikramjit Singh, very well". Gen Tejinder is a Tatra Scamster linked with the IIT genious Ravi Rishi CEO of a maze of companies involved in money laundering and secret accounts.
These three top notch Generals were/ are members of Adarsh Society and it is common knowledge in military circles that they have taken bribes from Munition Vendors (difficult to prove of course), and their extended family members involved in money laundering for acquiring properities from other than known sources of income.
The question now remains... Can Chidambaram get to the bottom of the rot?
Who is Gen Tejinder Singh

Tatra Drama- spinning a web- CBI remains clueless!

CBI set to examine BEML chief Natrajan in Tatra deal
Rajesh Ahuja, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, April 14, 2012
Comments
Anil: I think you are correct. Just a drama will be inacted since if they catch one that will lead to another and that into another and so on. Just see how this 2G - Raja- Chidu drama is gping! In any civilised and true democracy these people will. E behind bar together not one (if at all) after another.
Arvind: This Rishi guys is running a paper company in England for making invoice and documents, His partners will all be Indian netas and babus and the hat B**stard the BEML chief, who himself declared the vehicles fit because the thought he was the ARMY CHIEF. That man and this Rishi are traitors and must be tried for treason in National Defense matters.
click here to read more comments and CBI

How President and Politicians grab Military Land? A viscious cycle

National Security at Stake...
President’s office only sanctioned repairs to two bungalows; the President defied this, April 13, 2012 07:17 PM | Vinita Deshmukh

This bungalow in Khadki Cantonment area near Pune was taken over and later demolished

RTI documents reveal an official communication to President Pratibha Patil that new construction is “not the right option".

In reaction to our report on how President Pratibha Patil has grabbed defence land, far in excess of her entitlement to build a palatial post-retirement residence, we now have further documents and photographs to show how two bungalows was commandeered for the President for demolition and reconstruction.

Things began moving when Pratibha Patil opted for Pune as her home after retirement. “The president has expressed her desire to settle down in Pune, Maharashtra on completion of her tenure on 25 July 2012. Keeping that in mind, Bungalow no 38 and 26A which are contagiously located within the Defence Cantonment area on Bombay-Pune Road have been identified.’’

Interestingly, the President’s office in that letter had taken the line that the bungalows should be only repaired and not demolished for construction of a new one, as recently February 1, 2011. However, almost in the same breath it also finds a specious way to justify allocation of property in excess of the eligibility of house accommodation for a President, post-retirement, when the intention was apparently quite different.

A letter written by Dr Christy Fernandez, secretary to the President of India, to home secretary GK Pillai on 11 February 2011 (obtained by activists), states that any new construction is “not the right option as it would not operationally be convenient and aesthetically acceptable.” Hence, the letter suggested that the next bungalow no 26A be used for office purposes.

This bungalow in Khadki Cantonment area near Pune was taken over and later demolished

RTI documents reveal an official communication to President Pratibha Patil that new construction is “not the right option’’

In reaction to our report on how President Pratibha Patil has grabbed defence land, far in excess of her entitlement to build a palatial post-retirement residence, we now have further documents and photographs to show how two bungalows was commandeered for the President for demolition and reconstruction.

Things began moving when Pratibha Patil opted for Pune as her home after retirement. “The president has expressed her desire to settle down in Pune, Maharashtra on completion of her tenure on 25 July 2012. Keeping that in mind, Bungalow no 38 and 26A which are contagiously located within the Defence Cantonment area on Bombay-Pune Road have been identified.’’

Interestingly, the President’s office in that letter had taken the line that the bungalows should be only repaired and not demolished for construction of a new one, as recently February 1, 2011. However, almost in the same breath it also finds a specious way to justify allocation of property in excess of the eligibility of house accommodation for a President, post-retirement, when the intention was apparently quite different.

A letter written by Dr Christy Fernandez, secretary to the President of India, to home secretary GK Pillai on 11 February 2011 (obtained by activists), states that any new construction is “not the right option as it would not operationally be convenient and aesthetically acceptable.” Hence, the letter suggested that the next bungalow no 26A be used for office purposes.

As per the inspection site report of the Defence Estate Office done on 23 and 24 June 2011, bungalow No 38, which has been acquired, itself has open space of around 3.40 acres which amount to 1.48 lakh odd sq ft. This by itself exceeds the eligibility criteria of house accommodation for a retired President. According to the home ministry’s rulebook, this should not exceed 4,498 sq ft. Nevertheless, bungalow No 26A was also requisitioned on the claim that it would be required for office purposes, if No 38 were not demolished. That bungalow, as per the site inspection reports rests on 2.10 acres of land. So the total area allocated to the President is 5.5 acres, which is 2.42 lakh sq ft. That is official now, thanks to documents procured under the RTI Act, from the President's office and the Defence Estate Office in Pune.

Mr Fernandez, a loyal official, makes a case for the President needing more space in the letter to the Mr Pillai with this argument, “The bungalow No 38 does not have adequate space to set up the office and the related facilities required to be provided to a former President. Creating this extra facility in Bungalow No 38 would amount to additional construction to the existing building, which may not be the right option as it would not be operationally convenient and aesthetically acceptable. Hence, the request for using the adjacent vacant building for the purpose of setting up office, etc.

The letter continues to reiterate the aspect of repairs. It states, "Special repairs required prior to occupancy of the building and its subsequent regular maintenance and upkeep will have to be undertaken by the Defence establishment itself, as it would be administratively and operationally convenient to do so... It is necessary to take up the matter straightaway since the civil work involved will be time consuming as the building require heavy repairs particularly the one which remains unoccupied."

Bungalow No 38 was, until a few months being used as an official accommodation for a military officer. There is nothing wrong if this is given to the President as she or he is entitled to an existing government accommodation. However, it is a mystery how the argument made against demolition of an existing bungalow is used to usurp another one and then both are demolished to start a brand new construction. The letter from the President’s office, clearly seeks that the bungalow be vacated for repairs: "It is understood that Bungalow No 38 is presently occupied by the Commandant Works, Bombay Engineering Group and Centre (The Bombay Sappers) while Bungalow No 26A is presently lying unoccupied."

The matter was informally discussed with the Defence authorities who are inclined to allow the use of these buildings for the suggested purpose without any change of their ownership. Hence the matter may please be taken up with the Ministry of Defence for timely vacation of the premises to carry out requisite repairs to render them befitting for occupation on completion of the tenure of the President.

And so the mystery of the new construction has still to be unravelled. The ownership of one of the two bungalows is also a separate story.
Click here for the original post