The CBI has booked purported arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari for allegedly receiving about USD 50 lakh from Korean company Samsung Engineering Co Ltd to influence officials in granting a contract for a DFCU project of OPAL at Dahej in Gujarat, officials said Wednesday.
The probe agency has also named the then Senior Manager of Samsung Engineering Co Ltd (SECL) Hong Namkoong, UK-based Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd and Bhandari’s UAE-based company Santech International FZC besides unidentified officials of ONGC and its special vehicle ONGC Petro Additions Ltd (OPAL) for alleged corruption, they said.
Bhandari who is being probed in a number of defence deals is believed to be in London, they said.
The CBI has alleged that Bhandari as Director of Santech International entered into a criminal conspiracy with SECL by charging a consultancy fee of USD 49.99 lakh from it, in violation of the integrity clause in the contract agreement between the Korean major and OPAL.
The alleged consultancy fee was received in overseas accounts of Santech International, the agency claimed.
The agency has alleged that the consultancy charges were understood to be bribes for public officials to swing the contract for OPAL’s Dual Fuel Cracker unit to be set at Dahej Petrochemical complex in Gujarat in the favour of SECL.
The CBI has earlier registered a case against unknown officials of Indian Air Force, Ministry of Defence, Sanjay Bhandari and Swiss-based Pilatus Aircraft on charges of irregularities and corruption in the Pilatus Aircraft.
Mr. Bhandari’s firm Santech International had allegedly bought the property for £1.9 million in 2009 by acquiring 100% shares of a British Virgin Islands-based company, Vortex Management Holdings. The property was transferred to Dubai-based Sky Lite Investment FZE in June 2010 at the same price.
The name of Sky Lite was later changed allegedly to Mayfair Investment FZE and it was then sold to a UAE national.
The Income-Tax Department had conducted searches against Mr. Bhandari in April 2016 and registered a case against him under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act.
