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They also approved the 'licence manufacturing' of 42 additional aircraft by HAL using materials provided by Rolls Royce for an additional USD 308.347 million and USD 7.5 million for the Manufacturer's Licence Fee.
Digital
Desk: According to officials, the
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a corruption case against Rolls
Royce PLC, its top executives, and arms dealers for alleged kickbacks in the
procurement of Hawk 115 Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force
and Navy.
Following
the completion of a six-year-long preliminary investigation, the CBI has
registered a case under Section 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code for criminal
conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Tim
Jones, Director of Rolls Royce India, alleged arms dealers Sudhir Choudhrie and
Bhanu Choudhrie, Rolls Royce PLC, and British Aerospace Systems.
color:black">According to sources, a British court decision in 2017 also noted
the alleged involvement of middlemen and payment of commission by the
corporation for swaying the sale. It is alleged that between 2003 and 2012, the
accused conspired with unidentified state workers to "abuse their official
positions" in order to procure 23 Hawk 115 AJTs for GBP 734.21 million.
They also approved the
'licence manufacturing' of 42 additional aircraft by HAL using materials
provided by Rolls Royce for an additional USD 308.347 million and USD 7.5
million for the Manufacturer's Licence Fee.
The deal was finalized in
lieu of “huge bribes, commissions and kickbacks” that was paid by Rolls Royce
to intermediaries, even though the agreements, integrity pacts, and associated
documents of the deal “prohibited payments” to intermediaries and middlemen, the
FIR filed by CBI alleged.
color:black">The CBI inquiry brought forward that important documents
pertaining to the transaction were seized from Rolls Royce India office during
a survey conducted by the Income Tax department in 2006-07 but the accused
persons destroyed and removed the documents in a bid to evade investigation,
the FIR further alleged.
color:black">Earlier in 2012, various media allegations claiming wrongdoing in
Rolls-Royce operations surfaced, prompting the Serious Fraud Office in London
to launch an inquiry. The corporation had drafted a Statement of Facts
outlining its corruption payments related to dealings with Indonesia, Malaysia,
and India. The firm and SFO negotiated a deferred prosecution deal.
color:black">A Crown Court Southwark, UK judgement revealed that a sum of GBP
1.85 million was paid to an intermediary to het the list of middlemen seized by
the IT Department during the Rolls Royce India survey in 2006 to prevent the
list from falling into the hands of the Defence Ministry, which could have
resulted in the contract being terminated and a CBI investigation.
color:black">The CBI further claimed that Russian arms companies paid GBP 100
million into a Swiss bank account in the name of Portsmouth, a company with
ties to Sudhi Choudhrie for defence transactions with Russia for the
acquisition of MIG aircraft.
color:black">"Out of this amount, the companies in Choudhrie's family's
name, namely Belinea Services Ltd, Cottage Consultants Ltd, and Carter
Consultants Inc. received GBP 39.2 million, GBP 32.8 million, and GBP 23
million respectively between October 2007 and October 2008."
Sudhir Choudhrie and his
father Bhanu Choudhrie are also accused of being unregistered Indian agents and
intermediaries who worked for the companies Rolls Royce and BAES to secure the
contract for the supply of Hawk aircraft and used "undue influence of
Indian public servants to induce the Government of India to approve the
deal."
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