Govt nod to CBI's judicial requests in Abhishek Verma case

NEW DELHI: CBI's judicial request to get details of financial transactions of a Swiss defence firm and Ganton -- suspected to be front company of arms dealer Abhishek Verma -- has been cleared by the government.

The visit of CBI's team to the USA to record the statement of estranged business associate of Verma -- C Edmond Allen -- has also been cleared, CBI sources said.

After getting nod of the Legal and Treaties Division of the External Affairs Ministry, the agency would soon send Letters Rogatory to the USA as well as Switzerland to get detailed financial transactions of Rheinmetall Air Defence AG (RAD) which had allegedly paid $5.30 lakh to Verma to stop the blacklisting proceedings initiated by Defence Ministry against it, they said.

The money was allegedly routed through the accounts ofGanton USA which is headed by Allen, CBI sources said.

They said a team of officials would also go for quick processing of Letters Rogatory as well as to record Allen's statement in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, the agency is waiting for a formal complaint from Defence Ministry to register new case of Officials Secrets Act violation which may involve Verma, they said.

The agency has received a tranche of documents from Allen believed to be given to him by Verma which carried some sensitive procurement plans of the Indian Air Force.

The allegations have been refuted by Verma. "So far we have in chart form the documents which are secret as per the definition of the Official Secrets Act but it is yet not clear whether the documents are already in public domain or not," an official said.

The sources said after getting complaint from the Defence Ministry, likely next week, CBI would take call whether to name Verma in the case or book unknown persons because the documents were not recovered from his possession.