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CBI questions Suresh Nanda

Special Correspondent

Suresh Nanda

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday questioned Suresh Nanda, reportedly a middleman in several defence deals, for his role in the purchase of Barak anti-missile systems and armoured recovery vehicles from Israel.

Passport suspended

Even as Mr. Nanda was being grilled by the CBI sleuths at the agency’s headquarters here, his passport was suspended by the External Affairs Ministry under Section 10 (a) of the Passport Act.

The passport was suspended at the request of the CBI, considering the gravity of allegations of kickbacks in the Barak deal. All passport authorities, immigration checkpoints in India and Indian missions abroad as well as other authorities concerned have been alerted, sources in the CBI here said on Thursday.

Mr. Nanda’s passport was seized by the CBI during a search of his residence on October 10, 2006 and it was retained with the permission of the Special Court. On his application, he was permitted by the trial court to travel abroad in January last year. This was challenged by the CBI in the Delhi High Court.

The High Court upheld the CBI’s contention and Mr. Nanda moved the Supreme Court for permission to go abroad.

Without commenting on the merits of the case, the Court, last week, ordered release of his passport as the CBI had not taken permission for retaining it under the Passport Act. However, the apex court allowed the CBI to approach the Passport authorities for this purpose.

Mr. Nanda was asked by the CBI officials to explain foreign remittances reportedly to the tune of Rs. 400 crore, allegedly transferred into his bank accounts. The remittances, the agency claimed, formed kickbacks from the Barak deal, the CBI sources said. The agency alleged that Rs. 543.33 crore from various sources abroad went into his bank accounts between 1995 and 2001. The sources said the agency was awaiting replies to the Letters Rogatory (LR) sent to the U.K., Mauritius, the United Arab Emirates and Germany.

Mr. Nanda’s name figured in the CBI’s FIR in the Barak deal for allegedly having paid money to politicians to get the then NDA government’s approval for a contract for purchasing the Barak Anti-Missile (AMD) Systems and 200 missiles from Israel Aircraft Industries Limited (IAI). The FIR alleged that the deal was sewn up in haste and despite objections raised by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The then DRDO chief had recommended the indigenously developed Trishul for the Navy.

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