Monday, December 26 2005 17:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Pushing its probe into alleged irregularities in securing the contract for supply of rifles to Indian Army by South African firm Denel, CBI has sent Letters Rogatory to South Africa, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong to seek more details about the company as well as the British intermediatory which helped in clinching the deal.

Highly-placed CBI sources said that the Letters Rogatory were sent to South Africa and Hong Kong and Isle of Man whose administrative responsibility lay with the British Gfor issuance of the LR was sought from the Union Home Ministry.

Ahead of this, the CBI had already made a request to the Interpol's South Africa office and Scotland Yard of Britain seeking details about Denel and its reputation. The Indian Mission staff in South Africa had also spoken to executives of Denel to seek more details about the company, they said.

The agency had registered its first FIR in the defence deal on June six this year and booked unnamed officials of Denel, its British agent and of Indian Defence Ministry to probe alleged corruption in purchase of arms and ammunition from the company for the army.

The case has been registered against officials of Defence Ministry, Denel and its officials, Varas Associates and their officials and others in connection with the allegation of payment of 12.75 per cent commission to Varas Associates for the procurement of contracts for supply of Anti Material Rifles (AMRs).

Earlier, the Interpol assistance was necessitated before the agency could formally send a Letters Rogatory to South Africa and Isle of Man.

In its communication to Interpol's South Africa office and Scotland Yard of Britain, the CBI has sought details about Denel and its reputation, the sources said.

In its FIR, CBI alleged Denel paid Varas Associates two sums of 24,08,373 dollars and 10,99,672 dollars on January 27, 2003 and 1,51,350 dollars on June 19 of the same year.

The contracts related to July one, 1999 for procurement of 100 AMRs with 98,000 rounds of ammunition, March 20, 2002 for procurement of 100 AMRs with 1,00,000 rounds of ammunition and March 27, 2002 for procurement of 100 AMRs with 1,00,000 rounds of ammunition.

The last one was the contract of March seven this year comprising two separate consignments; one for procurement of 400 AMRs and the second for transfer of technology to Ordnance Factory Board.

The CBI sources said the details and evidence collected by the agency needed to be corroborated before advancing to the second stage of questioning people holding posts during the previous NDA regime.