CBI says enough evidence to nail Nandas in Barak deal

After the high drama of the arrests of alleged arms dealer Suresh Nanda, his son Sanjeev, their accountant, and income tax official Ashutosh Verma in Mumbai, the CBI claimed it had "incriminating documents" to establish a link between the Nandas and Verma.

"Estimates of the seized items and assets are being worked out,'' said the spokesperson, even as Naval Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said the Barack missile had "performed and proven itself."

Suresh Nanda, named as a middlemen in the Rs 1,150-cr Barak missile deal, was allegedly negotiating a deal with Verma, who in turn was probing a case against him in the I-T department, when the CBI team caught them.

The four have been charged under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code for hatching a criminal conspiracy to benefit the Nandas as well as the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

The CBI seized Rs 32 lakh, some electronic safes and computers in the raids. The meeting between the Nandas and the I-T officer was allegedly arranged by Bipin Shah, the accountant of the Nandas.

The CBI has registered a separate case against Ashutosh Verma under the PCA for allegedly abusing his official powers to let the Nandas off in return for a bribe.

According to the CBI, Verma was investing a case against Nanda in 2007 following an I-T raid after the CBI named him as a middleman in the Barak deal.

The CBI said Verma allegedly withheld or suppressed the incriminating material in the probe report to save the senior Nanda and his associates from prosecution by the CBI and other agencies.

The officer also showed the draft investigation report that he had prepared to Nanda's chartered accountant and made the changes sought.

A Delhi court today declined to entertain a plea of the counsel for the Nandas seeking a meeting to discuss the case. Meanwhile, the external afairs ministry has served a notice on Suresh Nanda asking him as to why his passport should not be revoked following a plea by the CBI.