Alstom bribery charge: Government to seek details from London

NEW DELHI: Government today decided to seek details from the Indian High Commission in London on the charges of bribery against Alstom UK in winning infrastructure orders for the Delhi Metro project.

According to sources, the Indian High Commissioner in London will be asked to obtain facts and relevant details from UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) regarding the reported kickbacks paid to DMRC for securing the infrastructure order.

They said Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu has asked UD Secretary Shankar Aggarwal to approach the Foreign Secretary for communicating the matter to the High Commission.

Alstom Network UK Limited allegedly paid bribes of around $ 8.5 million to win infrastructure orders in Poland, Tunisia and for the Delhi Metro between June 2000 and November 2006.

"Alstom Network UK Ltd, formerly called Alstom International Ltd, a UK subsidiary of Alstom, has been charged with three offences of corruption contrary to section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, as well as three offences of Conspiracy to Corrupt contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977," the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said in a statement yesterday.

"The alleged offences are said to have taken place between June 1, 2000 and November 30, 2006 and concern large transport projects in India, Poland and Tunisia," it added.

The government wants to obtain facts from London before taking any further action, sources added.