Ex-OFB chief charged cut from suppliers: CBI

Describing the unfolding Ordnance Factory Board scandal as one of the biggest corruption scandals of recent times...

Describing the unfolding Ordnance Factory Board scandal as one of the biggest corruption scandals of recent times,the CBI on Thursday claimed that Sudipta Ghosh,who retired recently as Director General of the OFB and now under arrest,had accumulated huge wealth by charging commission from suppliers to ordnance factories in several big deals/contracts.

In a statement,the agency claimed one of his conduits,based in Delhi,used to collect the commission from suppliers on his behalf and pass it on him… a large network of agents operating in ordnance factories has come to notice who were active as middlemen in big ordnance

contracts worth several crores. Various firms dealing with defence technology and supplies and the dealers have come under the scanner of CBI.

CBI investigations have established links between Ghosh and arms dealer Mohinder Singh Sahni whose name figured in an arms procurement scandal reported by Tehelka which the CBI took up in 2006. CBI spokesperson Harsh Bhal confirmed this link.

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It is alleged that Sahni,in his dealings,was most active with Russian and former Soviet republics. He was said to have arranged deals for surface-to-air missiles and other systems. Sahni,who is an honorary Consul General of Belize in Central America,was allegedly caught on tape talking about approaching the then BJP president Bangaru Laxman for an arms deal.

Sources said the CBI had kept Ghosh under surveillance for months but went after him only after he retired last month. Once he retired,no government sanction was needed to move against him,the sources said.

The CBI is also questioning Ramesh Nambiar,Additional General Manager of Air India,over his alleged role in deals between 2007 and 2009 when Ghosh was DG,OFB. During a search this week,the CBI recovered Rs 23 lakh from the house of Nambiar in Mayur Vihar,Delhi.

The website of Kala Keralam Delhi,of which Nambiar is the patron,says he is currently Air India Regional Director (Northern India) for sports. He is the Joint Secretary of Air India Sports Promotion Board and has been appointed Member,BCCI. It also says he is Chairman,Tourism and Travel Committee for the Commonwealth Games,2010.

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During searches in Delhi and Kolkata,the CBI claimed to have recovered over Rs 85 lakh from Ghosh,Rs 45 lakh from Ashish Bose,Rs 47 lakh from Pradip Rana and Rs 23 lakh from the house of Nambiar.