Barak case: Navy to lodge protest with CBI

The Navy will lodge a formal protest with the CBI against the FIR naming former Chief, Admiral Sushil Kumar, in the Barak missile case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had earlier this month filed an FIR against former defence minister George Fernandes, politician Jaya Jaitley and Sushil Kumar as beneficiaries of the Rs 2 crore that were paid in the Rs-1,500 crore deal in 2000 to buy seven Barak anti-missile defence systems from state-run Israel Aircraft Industries.

Meanwhile, Admiral Arun Prakash said on Monday that it sends the wrong signals to professionals who have to take sensitive decisions.

"It gives us something to think about who take decisions. I can't really comment on it now since the whole issue is not in the public domain," Prakash said.

The naval chief, due to retire at the end of this month, didn't just defend the Barak deal but also criticised any attempt at re-evaluating the procurement process.

"We look at this with serious concern - how else can you look at it? We are trying to equip our armed forces for future conflict, and if our equipment programme is going to be impeded in this manner- then it is a cause for concern. We must think seriously about it," Prakash said.

Admiral Sushil Kumar is accused of 'colluding with other accused to put up a note' to Fernandes to import the systems despite objections from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).