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Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007
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Defence deals: court seeks status report

Legal Correspondent

“Nothing has happened so far”

“CBI registered only preliminary enquiries”

We will re-look at CBI report on five PEs: Milon Banerjee

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday observed that nothing had happened so far in the probe into the defence purchase deals made during and after the 1999 Kargil war and asked the Centre to file a status report in eight weeks on the action taken pursuant to the CBI report.

A Bench, comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice R.V. Raveendran, was hearing a public interest petition, which alleged that irregularities in the Kargil scam caused a loss of Rs. 2,175 crore to the exchequer.

It also alleged that the previous National Democratic Alliance Government relaxed the norms for purchase of equipment, arms and ammunition during the Kargil war but did not revert to the old procedure even after the end of armed operations.

Amicus curiae Rakesh Dwivedi, who is assisting the court, submitted that the Comptroller and Auditor General had given a detailed report on certain irregularities in the defence purchases. He alleged that even after this, the CBI registered only preliminary enquiries (PEs) and not regular cases.

“This is how such a serious issue is being handled by the government. It is the surest way to sweep things under the carpet,” he said.

Appearing for the CBI, Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam said the agency had filed a status report. Of the 25 defence deals that figured in the CAG report, PEs were registered in respect of five deals and a detailed report was sent to the Defence Ministry for appropriate departmental action. Two regular cases were registered, in which a Letter Rogatory was sent to foreign countries for getting details. Eighteen cases were referred to the Defence Ministry for departmental action, as no criminality was disclosed.

The CBI’s status report pertained to 25 deals mentioned in the CAG report.

Attorney General Milon Banerjee said: “We will sit with the Defence Ministry and have a re-look at the CBI report on five PEs. We may ask the CBI to register one or two regular cases.” The Bench told the AG “the net result is nothing has happened so far.” The Bench directed listing of the matter for further hearing to October 8.

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