CBI questions suspended BEML Chairman VRS Natarajan

New Delhi, Aug 25:

today questioned suspended BEML Chairman and Managing Director VRS Natarajan in connection with alleged irregularities in procurement and supply of Tatra all-terrain trucks to the Army.

CBI sources said Natarajan was grilled at the CBI headquarters here for about five hours about issues that have surfaced during raids conducted by the agency at BEML facilities.

The probe agency is trying to ascertain the reasons for allegedly renewing the supply contract with Tatra Sipox UK in 2003, during the tenure of Natarajan, much before it was required in 2006.

In 1997, Tatra Sipox, UK, had signed the truck supply deal with BEML in alleged violation of defence procurement rules which state that procurement should be done directly from original equipment manufacturer only, the sources said.

CBI has alleged since Tatra Sipox, UK, was not the original manufacturer of the all-terrain trucks, the rule that defence procurements should be made from the original manufacturer was also violated.

PTI