CBI registers case in Embraer bribery case

The CBI today registered a case against NRI arms dealer Vipin Khanna and two companies based abroad in connection with alleged payment of USD 5.7 million in kickbacks in the 2008 Embraer aircraft deal and issued a lookout circular against him to prevent him from leaving the country.
CBI sources said the agency has registered a case against Khanna and two companies--Brazil-based Embraer and Singapore based Interdev Pte Ltd--over alleged payment of commission in the aircraft deal with Embraer worth USD 210 million.
The investigative agency has issued Lookout Circular for all exit routes to ensure Khanna is detained if he attempts to leave the country, they said.

CBI carried out searches at four locations here--Khanna's residence in Greater Kailash, farmhouse in Chattarpur, a private vault in Hauz Khas, and his son's residence in Vasant Kunj--yesterday.
It is alleged that the kickbacks were allegedly routed from Embraer subsidiaries to Khanna through Interdev in three instalments of USD 1.92 million each in 2009.
The sources also said that it is alleged that the commission in the deal was routed through Austria and Switzerland.

A Brazilian newspaper had alleged that the aviation company had taken the services of middlemen to clinch deals in Saudi Arabia and India following which Defence Ministry had ordered an inquiry into the matter.

Involvement of middlemen in defence deals is strictly barred under the Indian law.
CBI had registered a preliminary enquiry in the case on September 16, 2016 at the request of DRDO to probe allegations regarding employment of an agent for facilitating the contract for Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) project for procurement of three fully modified EMB-145 Aircraft.