Rolls Royce case: CBI registers preliminary enquiry

NEW DELHI: CBI today lodged a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) into alleged bribery in the Rs 10,000 crore deal for supply of aircraft engines to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) by London-based Rolls Royce.

The agency has named unknown officials of HAL, owner of Aashmore Private Limited Ashok Patni and Rolls Royce in the PE that was registered after a complaint was received from the Defence Ministry to look into the supply of engines to HAL.

According to the PE, the agency would be probing alleged payment of bribe or kickbacks in the purchase of spare parts of the engines of the helicopters to the industrial and marine gas turbine division of HAL.

The allegations surfaced in the form of a letter received by HAL recently claiming that bribes were paid to officials in HAL and other departments concerned to bag contracts.

Rolls Royce had conducted an internal audit in which it was found that money had been paid to Commerical Advisor -- Aashmore Private Limited -- allegedly as kickbacks to swing the deal in favour of the UK-based company.