The CBI will arraign the general manager of the Defence Ordnance Factory, Medek, as the first accused in the Defence deal scam, in which he allegedly allotted a tender for the supply of battle tank components to Steel Industries Forging Limited (SIFL) after receiving bribe from a mediator.
The CBI officials said they will seek the permission of the Defence and Home Ministries for arraigning V K Panda, general Manger, DOF, Medek, as the first accused and prosecuting him in this case.
The CBI had on Thursday summoned Panda and two other joint managers to the CBI office as part of the investigation. The three were interrogated by the CBI till evening. Subi Mally, the fourth accused in the case and the mediator in the deal, had submitted before the CBI that she had given `3 lakh to Panda for issuing tender to SIFL.
Based on this, the CBI had conducted raid at V K Panda’s house at Medek last week, following which they received some vital information regarding his role in the deal. The CBI officials said the other two joint managers of DOF, Medek, were not part of the scam and they diverted the tender as V K Panda told them to do. The CBI officials said they will not arrest V K Panda till they get permission from the Defence and Home Ministries.
Panda, was also ‘involved’ in a similar scam while he was serving at Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, in 2009. The CBI officials said there were allegations that Panda had diverted a tender to a company after receiving bribe.