Tatra deal: CBI to confront Rishi and Natarajan

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The CBI is likely to confront suspended BEML Chairman V.R.S. Natarajan and Vectra Chairman Ravinder Rishi in its probe related to alleged irregularities in the procurement and supply of Tatra all-terrain vehicles.
The agency will also question two former Chairmen and Managing Directors of BEML along with Natarajan, sources said.

The CBI has decided to question Natarajan, Rishi and former BEML officials after its recent spot visit to Banagalore from where it had seized some documentary evidence, they said.

Based on these documents, the CBI officials concluded that the officials need to be questioned again in connection with the alleged irregularities and if needed brought face to face to clarify some issues regarding the Tatra Sipox UK and BEML deal, they said.

CBI sources said Natarajan will also be confronted with the documentary evidence of alleged irregularities which the agency teams have collected during searches and visit to Banagalore office of the PSU.

Natarajan and Rishi, both have been questioned by the agency in connection with the case. Both have refuted allegations of any wrong-doing in connection with the case.

The agency is probing alleged irregularities in assigning supply from the Czechoslovakia-based Tatra, with which the agreement was originally signed in 1986, to the Tatra-Sipox UK owned by Rishi in 1997 showing it as Original Equipment Manufacturer and the fully-owned subsidiary of the Czech company which was against rules, they said.