NGO seeks HC monitored probe of Scorpene deal

An NGO today urged the Delhi High Court to order a court-monitored probe in the Scorpene deal claiming that the CBI probe indicates involvement of middlemen and payment of bribe to clear the Rs 19000-crore defence deal with a French firm.
The submission was made before a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw by advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL).
In its written submissions, the NGO alleged that "even though all the facts and evidences which so far have come out from the investigation of the CBI clearly point in the direction of the involvement of the middlemen and payment of commission/bribes in the Scorpene deal, the government is still maintaining its earlier stand that no investigation is required in the Scorpene deal."

Contending that the defence deal "definitely requires" a thorough and fair investigation from an independent agency, the NGO sought that directions be issued for a court-monitored probe by a Special Investigation Team.
It alleged that the government is "trying to cover up the entire conspiracy" as it has ruled out any probe into the deal "despite there being shocking revelations during the investigation of various intelligence agencies of the government and CBI in the Navy War Room leak case".
The NGO further alleged that according to the latest charge sheet filed in the case, "it is apparent that Abhishek Verma and his company have been acting as brokers in several defence deals though, as per our government's policy, it is strictly prohibited."

"But the government till July 2006 did not bother to take any action against him or his company," it said.
"Then they (government) ordered only a partial CBI probe in respect of 'Navy War Room leak' case and that also after much reluctance and after delay of at least nine months. They thus left out the investigation into the Scorpene deal," the NGO said.