Home Ministry suspends transaction with two foreign arms suppliers

NEW DELHI: The Home Ministry has served show cause notices to two foreign arms vendors following allegations of their bribing officials and ordered suspension of all transactions with them.

The American subsidiary of Swiss firm M/s Sig Sauer, known for manufacturing rifles with sophisticated designs, exceptional accuracy and reliability, and another Swiss small arms manufecturer M/s San Swiss Arms AG were served with the notices.

"We have ordered suspension of all transactions with the two foreign arms vendors," a senior Home Ministry official told PTI.

According to a preliminary investigation, the two companies tried to bribe some officials involved in procuring arms and ammunition for paramilitary forces.

Emails sent to both M/s Sig Sauer and M/s San Swiss Arms AG for their reactions did not yield any rpt any reply.

The Home Ministry had earlier blacklisted six firms -- four of whom are foreign -- and banned business dealings with them after its vigilance cell recommended it.

The six vendors were already blacklisted by the Ministry of Defence following a recommendation of CBI in connection with the Ordnance Factory Board scam.

The blacklisted international firms are: M/s Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd, M/s Israel Military Industries Ltd, M/s Rheinmetall Air Defence, Zurch and M/s Corporation Defence, Russia.