Indian Navy officer sacked for lewd SMSes to women

In another low for the armed forces, a Commander of the Indian Navy was on Monday dismissed from service after he was found guilty of sending lewd text messages to several women.

This is the second such dismissal of a Naval officer in the past one week. Defence Minister A K Antony had last week ordered dismissal of another officer who was found guilty of having illicit relations with his superior’s wife.

According to the Navy, the Naval officer was dismissed by a General Court Martial GCM in Mumbai. The name of the officer in the rank of Commander equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel in the Army was recommended for dismissal by a court martial in January. He was later dismissed from service, said Navy spokesperson Commander P V Satish.

He also added that the officer was dismissed on the charges of ‘conduct unbecoming of an officer’, as he was using multiple numbers to send lewd text messages to several women, both inside and outside the force.The dismissal comes at a time when the Navy is battling with yet another allegation of wife swapping.

The Navy had claimed that the charges were baseless, but Antony has sought a complete report on such cases. He has made it clear that strict action would be taken if anyone was found guilty in the case.

Antony has stated that three simultaneous investigations were going on by the Delhi Police, Kerala Police and the Navy on the wife-swapping allegations.

via Indian Express.

Ayurvedic treatment in defence forces just for select few

J Gopikrishnan.

The armed forces misled the Delhi High Court last year by claiming on affidavit that Ayurvedic treatment was not approved within the services.

The affidavit, filed by the Director-General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) came on a PIL seeking the court’s directive for reimbursement of treatment expenses of a NSG commando PV Manesh, wounded in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The fact remains that the Army has Ayurved Kendras in its base hospitals at Delhi, Pune and Jamnagar, and its top officers are known to avail of Ayurvedic treatments even in private hospitals.

In June 2012, DGAFMS told the Delhi High Court that no system of medicine, except for the Allopathic system of medicine, was approved in the forces. “Introduction of a pluralistic system of medicine in the armed forces is likely to create various issues and needs to be addressed appropriately. The issue of introduction of Indian Systems of Medicine in the Armed Forces has repeatedly been considered and not agreed to due to valid scientific reasons,” the DGAFMS said in the affidavit.

Detailing its objections, the forces told the High Court that Indian systems of medicine were not auditable. The affidavit also said that the introduction of other systems of medicines may lead to “infectious diseases, which may jeopardize the health and well-being of his fellow colleagues.”

The affidavit told the Court that this decision was taken after consultations with the Defence Ministry and the chiefs of the three services.

However, documents and medical prescriptions sourced by The Pioneer show that the forces misled the High Court.

The Health Ministry’s annual appraisal documents show that on January 25, 2004, the first Ayurved Kendra was inaugurated by Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad at the Army Base Hospital in Delhi Cantonment. Another Ayurved Kendra was opened in the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune subsequently. Moreover, in collaboration with Gujarat Ayurved University, satellite ayurved clinics are functioning at the units of the Army and the Navy in Valsura, Jamnagar.

“The establishment of the Ayurvedic Center at the Army Base Hospital is a pioneering step to integrate Ayurvedic and modern medicines in the armed forces. The venture will provide convergence of two different medical systems and enable holistic healthcare and patient-friendly treatment. With its herb-based, cost effective and culture friendly approach, the promotion and acceptance of Ayurveda, a branch of traditional medicine, scientifically and systematically documented for more than 5,000 years, is in keeping with the resurgence of interest in Ayurveda at the international level,” the Ministry of Defence had said in a statement regarding the Ayurved Kendra.

Prescriptions of doctors also show that several Generals, Admirals and their family members regularly use Ayurvedic medicines. On the other hand, the same officials have rejected the reimbursement bills of a wounded soldier, who squarely depends on Ayurvedic treatments. It is also a well-known fact that Defence Minister AK Antony has been taking Ayurvedic treatment for his spondylitis related problems for the last two decades.

Sources say that a strong lobby of doctors who practice the allopathic system of medicine in DGAFMS, is behind the move to file the misleading affidavit in the High Court.

The Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Defence Ministry and all three service chiefs in the first week of August 2011 on the basis of a report published in The Pioneer on July 20, 2011, revealing the plight of the NSG commando, who became paralyzed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The PIL in this regard was filed by a Delhi-based Advocate Arjun Harkauli.

The commando PV Manesh, decorated with the Shaurya Chakra, was discharged from a Army hospital in a wheelchair and started walking after getting Ayurvedic treatment.

via The Pioneer

Indian Navy trainee accused of raping sister

What comes across as a shocking addition to state’s roll of shame a class XII student of Pataudi was allegedly repeatedly raped by her brother in the Indian Navy and molested by her school principal. Pataudi police have arrested school principal on Tuesday late evening and are questioning him.

The victim, a student of Savitri school has claimed that the tale of horror started in class IV when her brother Vijay started raping her. On the other hand, her principal Jai Prakash has been molesting her for the last two years.

The girl who informed police about the incident on Tuesday said that her brother is away from home for the last one and a half year but she feared that her brother will rape her again once he visits her.

“I wanted to report it but couldn’t muster strength,” the victim reportedly told police.

Police have arrested school principal Jai Prakash. Cops said that Vijay had joined Indian Navy before an year ago. He is now being trained at a centre of Indian Navy. An FIR has been lodged against school principal and victim’s brother.

“We have acted on her complaint and investigating the case. We are talking to the girl and verifying her claims. A statement has also been recorded before a city court under 164 of Crpc, where the victim repeated her claims” said Beer Singh, ACP (Pataudi).

via The Times of India.

Navy war leak case: All you need to know about Ravi Shankaran

A London court on Wednesday turned down the plea filed by Ravi Shankaran, a key accused in the Navy War Room leak case opposing the Indian government’s plea to exradite him. Rejecting his petition, the District judge Nicholad Evans at the Westminster Magistrates Court in London said that Shankaran had been presented with no evidence to prove there wasn’t a “case to answer”.

Here is all you need to know about him:

* Lieutenant (retd) Ravi Shankaran, is a decorated deep sea diver who left the navy in mid ’90s. He is the nephew of former Navy Chief Arun Prakash.

* Shankaran retired from the force citing medical reasons and floated his own company ‘Shank Ocean Engineering’, a naval supplies company.

* He is the prime accused in the 2005 Navy War Room leak case, one of the most high-profile espionage cases in the country.

* It is alleged that Shankaran was to receive crucial defence documents from the Directorate of Naval operations (Navy war room) in New Delhi. However, they were intercepted by air force intelligence from the house of wing commander S L Surve.

* The intercepted documents reportedly dealt with Indian defence purchases and the country’s defence preparedness plan.

* Between 2005 and 2006, Shankaran managed to give the CBI the slip and was believed to have been travelling in countries like France, Italy and Denmark.

* Treated as absconding, on 1 May 2006, the CBI, which had already got a non-bailable warrant and a look out notice issued against Shankaran, approached Interpol to get a red corner notice issued against Shankaran.

* In April 2010, Ravi Shankaran surrendered in London to British authorities and was arrested on the basis of a non-bailable arrest warrant issued by a court in Delhi.

* A court in Westminster began hearing his extradition petition and on 30 December 2011 the London Court held that prima facie there was a case against Shankaran, but it also allowed him to refute the same at the next hearing.

* On 27 March 2013, the court rejected Shankaran’s petition against extradition. District judge Nicholad Evans at the Westminster Magistrates Court in London said that Shankaran had been presented with no evidence to prove there wasn’t a “case to answer”.

* The District Judge has now sent the case to the UK Home Secretary Theresa May, who will decide on ordering Shankaran’s extradition to India.

via FirstPost

How arms dealer Abhishek Verma exploited top-secret defence information

Vishnu Som.

Through hundreds of documents now being investigated by the CBI, and accessed by NDTV, startling new details are emerging of how arms dealer Abhishek Verma, his wife Anca Neacsu, and their partners brazenly worked the system.

Emails that the CBI believes were written by Mr Verma reveal him accessing and exploiting top-secret defence information. He also claimed he was paying bribes to government officials, and had interactions with officials in the Defence Ministry and the Indian armed forces, to ensure that rifles, carbines and pistols manufactured by US defence manufacturer Sig Sauer were pushed onto shortlists for contracts worth millions of dollars.

NDTV cannot independently verify the authenticity of the emails.

NDTV reported earlier this week that the CBI says it has found evidence that a kickback of $50,000 was transferred by Sig Sauer through a matrix of front companies to Mr Verma. This bribe was meant for a government official referred to in emails by Mr Verma and his partners as “VIP.”

At stake was a multi-crore deal for sniper rifles for the Indian Army.

“VIP” was to be paid for removing an anonymous complaint filed against Sig Sauer’s 716 assault rifle. If that complaint had been recognized, Sig Sauer would have been blacklisted, making it ineligible for not just this deal, but for the billion dollar contract to replace the Army’s INSAS rifle, for which the manufacturer is still in the running.

In an email dated July 23 2011, Mr Verma told his associates that the anonymous compliant, received by the Defence Ministry, warned of audacious irregularities in how the SIG assault rifles had been conducted in the United States by Indian Army officers.

According to the complaint, SIG had hired a firing range for the trials but army officials did not reach it on time. Listing the contents of the compliant, Mr Verma writes, “The range wasn’t available the second day therefore firing was done at 300 metres distance and the same results were extrapolated for 800 meters and SIG weapon passed.”

Mr Verma tells his partners and wife that the complaint also said, “The officers who went to USA were looked after and 1 of the officer’s wife was taken shopping!”

The complainant said these malpractices meant that Sig Sauer should be dropped from the competition. Worried about the consequences, Mr Verma wrote if the defence official in charge “takes cognizance of the anonymous complaint… then the entire deal would be scrapped and re-tendered.

In the same email, Mr Verma shared with his partners highly classified information on how other manufacturers had fared in the trials, which means he accessed a top-secret army report.

In an email dated July 26, 2011, Mr Verma outlined the urgent need for the bribe for “VIP.” He asked for $50,000 to be wired “tomorrow, Tuesday or Wednesday” for ‘business development’ in India and this cannot be delayed a day as each day counts.”

The same day, an account was opened at JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York and $51,000 was deposited into the account.. A few days later, on August 2, 2011, an email from Mr Verma’s colleague, C Edmonds Allen, confirmed that the transfer to Ganton, Mr Verma’s company, was complete.

via NDTV

Confronted with scams in defence deals, Antony asks armed forces to shed overdependence on foreign vendors for buying military hardware

Gautam Datt.

The taint of corruption in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal has brought focus on the need to shed overdependence on foreign vendors for military hardware, but the status of indigenous defence programmes tells a story of cost overruns and delays.

Confronted with allegations of largescale corruption in defence deals, Defence Minister A.K. Antony has asked armed forces to change the mindset of rushing to foreign vendors for military equipment and hinted at indigenisation as a solution to check graft.

Mail Today assessed the research and development costs of some of the major programmes and their status.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is making light combat helicopter, which took part in Indian Air Force’s latest exercise ‘Iron Fist’ in Pokhran. The state-owned aeronautical company has spent about Rs.900 crore to develop the helicopter whose induction has already been delayed by four years.

Armed forces have severe shortage of light utility helicopters. But the effort to develop them at home will cost about Rs.400 crore and the project is already behind schedule by 30 months.

HAL is looking to supply Cheetal light helicopters meant for operations in high altitude areas. The 10 helicopters to be supplied to the air force will cost Rs.100 crore.

The development of intermediate jet trainers has hit a roadblock despite the programme costing Rs.600 crore. The jet trainers, needed badly by the IAF, have been under development for a decade. The IAF is hoping that the issues regarding the aircraft’s design would be sorted out but its induction seems unlikely anytime soon.

The advanced light helicopter Mk-IV, a version which comes with guns, rockets and missiles, has been delayed by four years.

The R&D cost analysis of light combat aircraft Tejas shows that the project’s cost is now Rs.13,000 crore with completion deadline of December, 2018. The project was started about 35 years ago with a budget of Rs.560 crore.

India, the biggest arms importer in the world, buys 70 per cent of its military equipment from foreign vendors. The lack of private defence industry and failure of public sector undertakings to deliver have contributed to the situation. Officials say it would take at least three decades for the indigenization to make any impact.

Blame game

The defence scientific establishment blames armed forces for preferring foreign military hardware and not supporting the local efforts. It was reflected in tussle between the army and DRDO over Arjun tanks. The army accepted the locally made tanks and ordered 124 (Mk-I) of them only after extensive comparative trials with Russian T-90s and removal of defects.

In the renewed effort to develop the domestic industry, emphasis is on private participation which has been nonexistent. But situation is gradually changing with big industrial houses like Tatas, Reliance, Mahindra and L&T making inroads in defence manufacturing. The IAF is looking to get its first aircraft from private sector as replacement for the existing fleet of 56 Avros. The `12000 crore project is aimed at encouraging private aircraft manufacturing.

via India Today.

Navy chopper crashes off Vizag coast; 2 crew injured, others missing

An Indian Navy chopper crashed off the Visakhapatnam harbour in Andhra Pradesh causing injuries to two persons on Tuesday. While two of the four crew members were rescued, two others were missing.

According to officials, the single-engine Chetak helicopter crashed in the Bay of Bengal about 10 km from the coast south of Vizag.

Officials said the aircraft – used for logistic support and surveillance – was on a routine sortie when it developed some technical problem.

The authorities were looking into the matter considering it to be an accidental crash. Coast Guard and Vizag Port Trust were searching for the two missing crew members.

Navy has pressed into service its helicopters and ships to search for the missing personnel, they said.

The Navy has ordered a Board of Inquiry to investigate the reasons behind the crash of the light utility chopper, they said.

The Cheetah and Chetak choppers are Indian license built versions of the French Arospatiale Alouette II and Arospatiale Alouette III and are the vintage of the 60s and the 70s. They are the mainstay of the armed forces for ferrying small groups of personnel and light loads.

The Navy has already initiated the process for acquiring 56 new light choppers with twin-engines for replacing the vintage choppers.

via India Today.

Biggest defence scandals in India

NC Bipindra.

A quick peek into the biggest defence scandals that have rocked India.

VVIP CHOPPER SCAM 1999 to 2010

Rs 3,600 crore

The Deal: In August 1999, the Indian Air Force mooted a proposal to replace old Mi-8 used by VIPs, including President, Prime Minister, and subsequently a global Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued in March 2002. However, to avoid a single vendor scenario, Brajesh Mishra, principal secretary  to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in November 2003 asked the IAF to amend the operational requirement for fair play in the deal suggesting that Special Protection Group should also be made part of the decision-making process. The decision was finalised during the tenure of George Fernandes as defence minister and Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy as IAF chief. In several meetings between March 2005 and September 2006 changes were incorporated and in-principle approval for procurement of VVIP choppers were accorded during the tenure of Pranab Mukherjee as defence minister and S P Tyagi as chief of Indian Air Force. On September 27, 2006, RFP was issued to six vendors. However, only three vendors—Sikorsky, USA; AgustaWestland, UK; and Rosoboronexport, Russia—responded to the RFP. Field trials carried out in January to February 2008 recommended AgustaWestland for inclusion in the service. On February 8, 2010, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) headed by A K Antony with Air Chief Marshal P V Naik in the IAF office signed the contract with AgustaWestland to procure 12 choppers worth Rs 3,600 crore.

The Scam: 10 per cent kickbacks—approximately Rs 362 crore—paid to middlemen by UK-based Italian company AgustaWestland to swing the deal in favour.

Alleged Middlemen: Guido Ralph Haschke, Christian Michel. Italian investigators allegedly named Former Air Chief S P Tyagi, Sanjeev Tyagi, Sandeep Tyagi, Rajiv Tyagi, and Gautam Khaitan.

The Firm: AgustaWestland Spa, Italy/ UK, a subsidiary of Finmeccanica, Italy.

Probe into Allegation: In February 2012, Italian investigators probing the murky dealings of AgustaWestland’s parent company Finmeccanica alleged that the company was involved in a bribery scandal to secure the deal for 12 VVIP choppers with India. Italian investigators submitted two reports—October 2012 and February 2013—after which the MoD referred the case to the CBI. The Indian agency is looking into the kickbacks paid to Indian agents allegedly named by the Italian investigators in preliminary investigation report submitted to an Italian court.

Status: Preliminary Enquiry filed by the CBI on February 24 to probe the role of Indian middlemen.

TATRA TRUCK SCAM, 2012

Rs 3,000 crore

The Deal: In March 2012, the then Army Chief V K Singh disclosed that he was offered Rs 14 crore bribe to clear a file to purchase 600 Tatra trucks for Indian Army. Subsequently, Defence Minister A K Antony while confirming the allegation told Parliament that the incident happened in 2011 and the Army chief at that point of time did not want to pursue the matter. MoD forwarded the case to the CBI which widened the probe in allegation of highly-priced Tatra trucks purchased by the Indian Army since 1986 when late Rajiv Gandhi was holding the portfolio of MoD and General K Sunderji was army chief. According to government data since 1986, India procured 7,000 trucks from the company at higher price causing huge loss to the government exchequer.

The Scam: Suspicious MoUs/ understanding between Tatra UK and Indian PSU Bharat Earth Movers Limited resulting in higher cost of all-terrain trucks.

Alleged Middlemen: Ravi Rishi, Chairman of the Vectra Group, the largest shareholder of Tatra holdings.

The Firms: Tatra Sipox UK. The third oldest truck manufacturer in the world, Tatra is owned by an international consortium comprising Vectra Ltd, UK; KBC Private Equity, Belgium; Ronald Adams, USA and Meadowhill of Czech Republic.

Probe into Allegation: The case was handed over to the CBI on March 30, 2012. CBI is probing that circuitous route was used to sell the trucks first to Venus projects based in Hong Kong at 35 per cent discount rate which in turn was sold to Tatra Sipox UK owned by businessman Ravi Rishi. The same trucks from the UK were later sold to BEML at an inflated rate.

Status: BEML CMD VRS Natrajan was suspended in June 2012. The CBI filed a status report in August 2012. The case is still under investigation.

BARAK MISSILE SCAM, 2000 

Rs 1,150 Crore

The Deal: In October 2000, MoD headed by George Fernandes signed a contract with Israel Aircraft Industries for the purchase of seven Barak systems and ammunition. Admiral Sushil Kumar was the naval chief when the contract was signed.

The Scam: Procurement norms were violated by the government. After CBI filed an FIR in 2006, Fernandes told the CBI that he had pressed for the procurement after the then naval chief Admiral Suresh Kumar sent a strong recommendation. It was alleged that the deal was manipulated and kickbacks to the tune of 3 per cent of total value of the deal was paid to the middlemen.

Alleged Middlemen: Suresh Nanda, R K Jain and officials of MoD

The Firm: Israel Aerospace Industries

Probe into Allegation: After Tehelka exposé in 2001, the NDA government set up a commission which gave a clean chit. However, after UPA came to power in 2004 it rejected the commission’s report and ordered a CBI investigation. Middleman R K Jain was stung in an operation conducted by Tehelka which claimed that bribe was allegedly paid to George Fernandes. Ex-naval officer Suresh Nanda was also named.

Status: Suresh Nanda and R K Jain were arrested by CBI in 2008 but later were let off.

NAVAL WAR ROOM LEAK/SCORPENE SUBMARINE CASE, 2005

Rs 19,000 crore

The Deal: In 2005, India approved six Scorpene diesel submarine with a condition of technology transfer at Rs 19,000 crore with the French company Thales. The deal had approval of the then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash.

The Scam: Top secret documents related to India’s future defence preparedness plan were stolen from the Navy war room and were allegedly passed on to London-based defence agent Ravi Shankaran and his business partner Kulbhushan Parashar to give it to Thales to swing the €3-billion deal. It was alleged that approximately `500 crore was paid to the middlemen.

Alleged Middlemen: Ravi Shankaran, Abhishek Verma, Kulbhushan Parashar

The Firm: Thales, France. Thales has been operating in India since 1953. In July 2011, Thales and Dassault Aviation signed a contract for the upgrade of the IAF’s Mirage-2000 fleet.

Probe into Allegation: In December 2005, the navy sacked three officers—Vijendra Rana, Vinod Kumar Jha and Capt. Kashyap Kumar—after conducting an internal enquiry. Subsequently the case was handed over to the CBI in 2006. Shankaran aide Parashar, Abhishek Verma  and Rajrani Jaiswal were arrested by the CBI in 2006. Shankaran is still at large.

Status: CBI filed a chargesheet in October 2006. Extradition case of Shankaran is pending in District Magistrate Westminster’s Court, London.

DENEL ARMS SCAM, 2003

Rs 21 crore

The Deal: The then Defence Minister Fernandes approved a deal with South African firm Denel for the purchase of 1,200 bunker buster anti-material rifles and ammunition. Subsequently three contracts were passed by two army chiefs —Gen V P Malik and Gen S Padmanabhan.

The Scam: It was alleged that Rs 1.7 crore was paid as kickback to Varas Associates, a company based in Isle of Man to swing the deal.

Alleged Middlemen: Varas Associates based in Isle of Man.

The Firm: Denel, South Africa. South African government is the sole shareholder of Denel which was incorporated as a private company in 1992.

Probe into Allegation: The MoD had approved a CBI investigation in the case in 2005 after the scandal rattled the establishment. The premier investigation agency registered a case in June 2005. The CBI had alleged that Varas Associates, which was appointed as an agent for Denel in violation of established norms, was paid 12.75 per cent commission in the deal.

Status: CBI was promised evidence by South African government in 2012. However, the agency is yet to get a reply. Investigation is on.

COFFIN SCAM, 1999

Rs 6.5 crore

The Deal: During the Kargil war, the NDA government purchased 500 aluminium caskets and 900 body bags from Buitron and Baiza, a US-based company on the nomination basis for the funeral service of martyrs of Kargil war.

The Scam: It was alleged that the NDA government had paid 13 times higher than the original price for the caskets.

Alleged Middlemen: Victor Baiza, Major General Arun Roye, Colonel S K Malik and Colonel F B Singh

The Firm: Buitron & Baiza, Texas -headquartered funeral service company, is little known in the global market.

Probe into Allegation: The CBI registered a case in June 2006 after the Comptroller and Auditor General in its report indicated the existence of middlemen in the deal. After three years of investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet on August 19, 2009 indicting three senior Indian Army officers—Major General Arun Roye, Colonel S K Malik and Colonel F B Singh—and a US national, Victor Baiza, in the deal. However, it gave a clean chit to Fernandes who was dubbed as ‘Coffin Chor’ by the Opposition.

Status: Chargesheet filed in August 2009. No conviction

KARGIL ARMS & AMMUNITION SCAM, 1999

Rs 1,762 crore

The Deal: The MoD headed by Fernandes with Gen Malik as army chief approved 25 defence purchase deals during the Kargil War in 1999 to procure arms and ammunition, including thermal imagers, special ammunition for 40 mm L-70 guns, spare for 155 mm guns etc.

The Scam: It was alleged that the purchase were in violation of contract rules and continued even after the Kargil War causing allegedly over Rs 100 crore loss to the government exchequer.

Alleged Middlemen: Not disclosed

The Firms: Many

Probe into Allegation: A number of cases were registered between 2000 and 2004. After six years of investigation, the MoD decided to close 29 cases in May 2010. The CBI also conveyed to the MoD that it found no violation in the deals related to purchase of Hand-Held Thermal Imagers worth Rs 41 crore, ammunition for T-72 tanks worth Rs 402 crore and other ammunition worth Rs 9 crore.

Status: Three cases are still under investigation.

BOFORS SCAM 1986

Rs 6,994 crore

The Deal: On March 24, 1986, a Rs 1,500 -crore defence contract was signed between India and Swedish firm AB Bofors for the supply of 410 field howitzers by the MoD headed by late Rajiv Gandhi with Gen K Sundarji as army chief.

The Scam: It was alleged that Ottavio Quattrocchi, an Italian businessman close to Rajiv, was allegedly paid 3 per cent (`64 crore) of the total contract as commission to secure the deal. The scandal led to the defeat of the Congress government in 1989 General Election. In April 1987, Swedish Radio broke the scandal. Subsequently in August 1987, Bofors admitted kickbacks were paid to swing the deal.

Alleged Middlemen: Quattrocchi, Win Chadha, S K Bhatnagar (the then defence secretary), others.

The Firm: A B Bofors, Sweden. The parent company of Bofors was acquired by SAAB Group in 1999. SAAB is actively working in India and has signed several joint ventures with private and government companies.

Probe into Allegation: A JPC was formed in 1987 which gave a clean chit to the government, saying there was no foul play. V P Singh, who was sworn in as prime minister, ordered a CBI inquiry which had listed 18 alleged beneficiaries of the deal in the preliminary investigation. The investigation dragged on for almost 23 years.

Status: Closure report filed in March 2011. No conviction.

HDW SUBMARINE SCANDAL, 1981

Rs 420 crore

The Deal: On December 11, 1981, the MoD headed by late Indira Gandhi signed an agreement with HDW for two 209-class submarines manufactured in Germany and two other assembled at Mazagaon docks in Mumbai through transfer of technology. Admiral Ronald Lynsdale Pereira was naval chief when the contract was signed by India. HDW was selected over two other firms, Kockums of Sweden and Sauro of Italy.

The Scam: It was alleged that HDW paid Rs 28 crore to an Indian agent as commission to swing the deal. The scandal broke out after the Indian Mission in Bonn wrote to the government confirming involvement of an Indian middleman.

Alleged Middlemen: Not disclosed.

The Firm: HDW, Germany. HDW was blacklisted by India in 1991. However, to upgrade and repair the four submarines purchased in 1987, Indian Navy urged government to lift the ban. Subsequently, in April 2011, the upgrade proposal was approved by the government,  which included replacement of the weapon control system, data link system, torpedoes and missiles. Probe into Allegation: CBI registered a case in March 1990 alleging that the kickback was routed through Swiss banks, including the Bank of Credit Suisse in Geneva. The CBI in its FIR filed in March 1990 had named former vice chief of naval staff Vice Admiral Schunker, former defence secretary S K Bhatnagar and former navy Captain M Kondath as accused in the case.

Status: Closure report filed in March 2003. No conviction

via The New Indian Express.

Indian Navy sailor hangs self aboard ship

A 19-year-old navy sailor allegedly committed suicide aboard a ship docked at Lion Gate in Colaba Friday night. It was the first day of his sea training.

Police said have registered a case of accidental death. They said Abhishek Kushwaha of Bharsal village in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh was a new recruit who reported to INS Delhi Friday morning for sea training after a 32-day leave.

At 8.15 pm, an officer found him hanging by a chain used to secure bags.

Kushwaha was administered first aid and transferred to INHS Asvini, the navy hospital in Navy Nagar, where he was declared brought dead.

Police said an autopsy would be conducted at St George Hospital and the report would be available in the next couple of days.

Navy confirmed the death.

“The principal medical officer on board the ship administered first aid and the sailor was subsequently transferred to INHS Asvini by 8.50 pm where he was declared brought dead by the duty medical officer. The next of kin of the sailor, who hails from Ballia, UP, were informed. A board of inquiry has been ordered,” said spokesperson Narendrakumar Vispute.

Vinod Sawant, senior inspector, Colaba police station, said: “We will not know why Kushwaha decided to take his life until we speak to his family. The family is coming to Mumbai in a couple of days to claim the body. We will also record statements of his senior officers.”

This is the second suicide by a sailor in the city this year. On January 6, Melvin Raj of Tamil Nadu ended his life on INS Talwar.

His family said Raj had been sanctioned for alcoholism but was trying to reform. It claimed harassment by seniors and said Raj was distressed by sudden cancellation of his leave.

via Indian Express.

Indian arms bazaar

Lt Gen Harwant Singh (retd)

More than six decades after Independence and over fifty years of setting up Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India remains the largest importer of defence equipment in the world. Seventy-five per cent of all defence equipment is imported and that includes such simple items as bullet-proof vests, winter clothing and even rifles.

In some other areas, equipment and weapons are imported with the transfer-of-technology clause added to the contract, though no further addition or advancement in the field of technology takes place. So the next set of advance equipment is bought with yet again transfer-of-technology clause added. This gets repeated ad nauseam. Even in the field of reverse engineering we have had no success.

Perhaps there are vested interests in importing defence equipment rather than making any serious attempt at indigenous effort. When the USSR broke up, top scientists from Central Asian Republics were seeking jobs in other countries for a pittance. India, more so the DRDO, and other scientific community sat smug in the false notion that they, on their own, are the best, while China took two thousand top scientists from these countries. China now produces most of its defence equipment indigenously.

Import of defence equipment for a military of Indian’s size places a heavy burden on the country’s economy and foreign exchange reserves, whereas if India were to meet the requirement of weapons and equipment indigenously, then the defence production would have positive impact on the country’s economy.

Corruption in purchase of defence equipment has existed from the earliest days of independence (remember, the jeep scandal!) but it was the Bofors that became synonymous with corruption among the higher echelons of the country.

Though much noise and posturing was done in this corruption case, nothing came of it. The PM was charge-sheeted but died before law could take it own course and the defence secretary was sent as governor, thus placing him beyond the long arm of the law, while some others walked away with most of the cash. Since then there have been a number of scandals of gigantic proportions, in and outside defence purchases, but little has been done to bring the culprits to book. Corruption as such has come to be a safe enterprise in India. So nothing much may come out of the ongoing scandal of Augusta-Westland choppers purchase.

In this scandal of helicopters for VVIPs for Rs. 3,600 crore, there exists much fog, and blame game and efforts are afoot to give it a political tinge. Undoubtedly much money has found its way into Indian pockets, which the CBI can be trusted not to unravel.

In the purchase of defence equipment, there are tricks that can be brought into play at the time of drawing up qualitative requirement (QR). In this case, the performance parameters of 18,000-feet ceiling (though not an inescapable requirement) had only three other contenders but these three could not meet some of the remaining QR. Now if this 1,8000-feet ceiling was lowered to 16,000 feet, then Augusta Westland could be brought in. But some features of Augusta Westland, such as, on-board jamming systems, traffic collusion avoidance systemic, enhanced ground proximity warning system, Medevac system, three-engine requirement and anti-missile system (some of these inducted at the price negotiation stage) were not available with the first contender. This brought us back to single-vendor situation.

Surprisingly, though some of these QR were injected by the IAF while some others were by SPG and PMO. SPG recommendation for a third engine was brought in after the visit by its members to the Augusta Westland facilities. It can be argued that most of these QR have little relevance to the Indian situation and safety of VVIPs. Yet another question remains as to why a dozen choppers and not a lesser number are needed.

We must be living in extremely dangerous times and in a country of lawlessness of proportions worse than even Pakistan, that a chopper carrying the so-called VVIP and flying within Indian air space, could be the target of an anti-aircraft missile attack and requires such a wide array of protection features. The ring of gunmen with fingers on the trigger of their automatic weapons who surround these VIPs leaves one with the impression that all of it is more an ego issue than countering any real threat.

For no one is going to physically rush at these VIPs while a well-placed sniper, if at all, could be a far more likely option. Kennedy fell to one such sniper. But the Indian police thrive in making fools of our politicians, boost their egos, make them appear as the most endangered species and retain own importance.

Earlier, some transport planes for VVIPs were bought at an exorbitant price. Indian Air Force has sufficient range of choppers, which, with some practical and simple modifications can meet the requirements of these VVIPs and their safety. Augusta Westland choppers cost the earth. Spending public money so recklessly is vulgar and an affront to the poor of this country: as vulgar and shocking as spending Rs. 36 lakh on each toilet for the Planning Commission.

via Hindustan Times.