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