Australian police to investigate wheat deal with India

Melbourne, May 29 (UNI) The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is to investigate the alleged kickback of 3.3 million Australian dollars by the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) to seal a wheat sale deal with India in 1998.

The alleged payment was deposited in a Cayman Islands account by the AWB, which was owned by the Australian government then, sources said.

The mention of the 1998 kickbacks to supposedly Indian middlemen cropped up in the AWB meeting records submitted to Cole Commission recently, they added.

The Australian government would involve the AFP in the Indian kickbacks investigations once Cole Commission tables its report.

Commissioner Terence Cole was looking at ''all the evidence before him'', said a spokeswoman for Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock.

Mr Ruddock said the Australian authorities cooperated fully to investigate wheat sales irregularities with an Indian investigation agency.

However, according to media reports here, Indian authorities alleged that department of Australian Attorney General did not cooperate when the diplomatic advice on the matter was sought in 2001.

Now the AFP has sought voluntary witness statements and asked for documents to probe the matter.

The CBI has also been informed, the media release said.

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