Bharat Earth Movers Ltd, which is facing allegations that it was involved in cheating an iron ore trading company to the tune of several crores, has tried to come out clean.
A private complaint was registered against Mr V.R.S. Natarajan, CMD of BEML, and two others – Prasanna V. Ghotage of Belgaum and Vaman Kumar, CEO, Nordbell Commercial – at the VIIth ACMM by Vivek Hebbar, MD, Dreams Logistics Company.
BEML, in a written statement to the police, clarified that the complaint registered against Mr Natarajan is baseless.
Sri Kumar Verma, a senior executive of BEML, said in a statement before the police: “BEML has no contractual or legal relationship with DLC. Prasanna V. Ghotage, with whom BEML has a contractual relation to work as an associate is also working with DLC. Mr Prasanna, who was a co-shipper for the shipment, has assigned this transaction to BEML against the existing arrangement with concurrence of DLC.
“Mr Prasanna has made an arrangement to bring these transaction documents based on the terms which they only are aware. BEML is not party to any contracts between Mr Prasanna and DLC. BEML has entered a sales and purchase contract dated 15/03/2011 with Nordbell Commercial Ltd as the buyer, Mr Prasanna as the co-shipper and BEML Ltd as the shipper.”
The BEML said, “The liability on account of the said transactions is to be resolved between Mr Prasanna and DLC and BEML does not have any liability.”