A Mumbai-based businesswoman, who mediated in the supply of Arjun tank components to Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, collected Rs 18 lakh as commission, CBI sources said.
Subi Mally, the fourth accused in the defence deal case, deposed before the CBI that she had given Rs 10 lakh to Shahnavas, managing director, and Valsan, senior manager, of Steel and Industrial Forgings Ltd (SIFL), Thrissur. It was given from an amount of Rs 18 lakh that she received as commission from the deal between SIFL and ordnance factories.
“There was a deliberate attempt to increase the commission amount of the deal and it was fixed as 12 percentage. Of this, Subi Mally took Rs 8 lakh,” CBI sources said.
According to the CBI, Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi, invited tenders in 2011 for the supply of flanges used in manufacturing Arjun Tanks.
SIFL also submitted its bid for the same, and its quote was not the lowest. However, Subi Mally of Subishi Impex Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, conspired with the other accused and used illegal means to influence the officials of HVF to allot the tender to SIFL.
“Without any public interest, the officials, abusing their official power, forced the company which had the lowest quote to enter into negotiation and then disqualified its tender on flimsy grounds.
Further, Subi Mally attempted to get further order for supply of materials, extending the previous purchase order in favour of SIFL,” the CBI said.
The CBI submitted before the court that a global tender should have been called for the supply of the materials.
However, the guidelines were violated in this case. SIFL is a regular supplier of road-wheel arm and flanges used in the manufacture of artillery tanks.
During the re-tender, SIFL submitted the same product at an increased price and secured the contract, the CBI said.
The CBI recovered all the e-mail communication between Mally and the officials in connection with the deal.
The probe team also questioned the manager of Subhishi Impex Pvt Ltd in connection with the case.
The CBI said that most of the messages were sent from the company’s official mail address.
Meanwhile, the CBI team opened a fresh file in connection with the involvement of defence personnel in the deal. Subi Mally had earlier revealed the name of Lt Gen Arvind Kumar, who retired from service 10 years ago, in connection with the deal. The CBI team is also probing his involvement in the case.
According to the sources, Mally was reluctant to reveal the names of the defence officials involved in the case, which led to her arrest.
On Friday, Mally filed a bail application before the CBI Special Court which was adjourned for hearing to Monday.