Kargil war: George Fernandes 'approved' purchase of 20 radars at higher price

Blackwater

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New Delhi, December 12
A report on the alleged irregularities in the purchase of arms and ammunition for the May-July 1999 Kargil conflict has held the then Defence Minister George Fernandes and the Defence Secretary "directly responsible" for the financial loss in the procurement of 20 radars from Israel for Rs 9.86 crore.
Pointing out that the contract for the radars was concluded with Israel's ELTA in February 2000 at a higher unit price, the report said: "There was no basis for concluding the contract at a higher price with a firm with which there was an existing contract" for the purchase of 150 radars at a lower price.



The report has been prepared by senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, who is assisting the Supreme Court as amicus curiae in a PIL on the alleged scam, after studying the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the CBI, which had probed the contracts.
There was no ground to justify the emergency purchase as the Kargil conflict, known as Operation Vijay, had actually ended in May 1999 and was declared as "officially over" in January 2000, says the report submitted today to a Bench comprising Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Desai.
The government already had a contract for the purchase of 150 radars from ELTA at a lower price and the deliveries were to have commenced by the time the 20 radars under the second agreement were received (three in August 2000 and 17 January 2001), the report said.
"The proposal (for the emergency contract) was submitted to the Defence Minister in December 1999. The Defence Minister was informed that the 20 radars were expected in July 2000 as against the order of 150 radars already issued. The Defence Minister questioned whether the second order was necessary. The file was re-submitted in February 2000 impressing operational necessity. After discussing with Defence Secretary, the Minister approved on 23/2/2000 and the contract was signed on 29/2/2000," the report said.
While the CBI had concluded that no artificial emergency was created and ELTA was not shown any undue favour, the government had maintained that though the hostilities were over the continued tense security environment had necessitated the purchase.
The amicus, however, pointed out that both the CBI and the government had ignored five lapses in the contract: payment of higher price; overlooking the offer from another manufacturer based in the UK; non-inclusion of the condition for immediate supply; cessation of the conflict and the fact as to why the radars under the old contract were not delivered in time.
"It is evident that financial loss has been caused with oblique motive to the Union of India and the then Defence Secretary and the Defence Minister are directly responsible. Clearly, the relaxed purchasing rules meant for Kargil War have been unauthorisedly utilised for this purpose. The explanation that Line of Control continued to be tense will not justify the aforesaid act. It is a clear case for both departmental and criminal action," the report said.
The amicus also questioned the wisdom of not including Fernandes, who was the Defence Minister in the NDA government, in the chargesheet filed in the case relating to the purchase of 500 aluminum caskets and 3,000 body bags at a cost of Rs 6.55 crore.

The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Nation
 

Rahul M

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which ELTA radar ? would it kill them to mention it ?

Ye to radar hai .. George Fernandes ne to coffins me bhi paise khaye hai ...is liye uski halat kutte jaisi ho gayi hai
that one was a garbage audit, CAG determined the correct price of aluminium coffins to be same as the price of aluminium scrap metal.
 

Singh

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Rahulji could you please shed light on this topic. I heard it a while back, but don't have the details.
 

Ray

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When you are in a war, every country will take advantage.

It is either succumbing to the requirement or abandon the forces!

The choice is to be taken.

I am not aware of Fernandez's activities of defence deal, but this much I can say is that he was a popular Defence Minister since he never shied away sharing the hardship and travails of the troops. He is a Christian and should have been celebrating at five star hotels at other's expense in New Delhi and yet, he spent each Christmas with the troops in Siachen!

Even when with the troops, he washed his own clothes!

It was only day before that I saw Praful Patel having lunch at Oberoi (Ziya), where I was also having lunch!

It is commonplace for politicos I presume!
 
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sesha_maruthi27

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The scenario is during war and the situation demands something which is required for the defence of the country and the countries which offer any defence equipment will demand for more money as the situation is such that the buyer is ready to pay the amount given. As the demand is very urgent the rate to be paid for the equipment also gets high. So, here arises a choice whether to pay the high cost or face losses. George Fernandes had given his best at the time when the situation demanded him to take the decision.
 

Nagraj

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Which radars are we talking about here???
if i remember correctly there was severe shortage of gun locating radars and our artillary had losst effectivness to paki artillary???
are we talking about gun locating radars???
 

Daredevil

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I think this is the article Rahul might be talking about. As Ray sir said, George Fernandes was the most straightforward person who was dragged into this and tarnished his image by Congress apparently over this coffin scandal who he had no control of.


CBI gives Fernandes clean chit in coffin scam

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is ready with the chargesheet in the 2002 Coffingate scam related to Kargil War. The investigating agency has named three Indian Army officials and a US company in the charge sheet.

But sources say there is no mention of the then defence minister George Fernandes in the chargesheet whose reputation was badly damaged by allegation of a scam in the purchase of the coffins.

The three Indian Army officer named in the chargesheet include Major General (retired) Arun Roye, Colonel (retired) SK Malik and a serving officer Colonel FB Singh.

The fourth accused in the case is the American manufacturer of the aluminium caskets.

Major General (retired) Roye was the Defence Attache in Washington when the caskets were ordered.

The caskets were allegedly purchased at a price many times their actual cost and the issue became a major embarrassment for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government.

An FIR was lodged by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government when it came to power after the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections.

At the height of the Kargil War the Defence Ministry imported aluminium caskets from US-based funeral service company Buitron and Baiza. A total of 500 aluminium caskets were imported to transport the bodies of slain soldiers.

Each casket was bought for $2,500, allegedly 13 times more than the actual price. It was also found that the first lot of caskets supplied were heavier than required, and were prone to develop leaks.

There have been allegations that all established procedures of defence procurement were flouted to award the contract to the US-based firm.
The government, too, allegedly incurred a loss of over $1,87,000 in the purchase.
 

sesha_maruthi27

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All the people around him made him mad and put him in an asylum. I think he is in some asylum as said by his wife..........
 

The Messiah

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But scandal still happened and people in govt had hand in it.
 

agentperry

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look israeli company and then kargil- this scam is inevitable. moreover it can be one-sided extortion by israel, no surprise if its true..

such things happen when you rely on those who cant predict what's happening in their neighbor leave aside neighboring country. country pays heavy price in all forms during and after war/
 

The Messiah

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Thats why we have to start making it ourselves rather than rely on foreign maal.
 

Rahul M

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people who profess unconditional love for israel make the same mistake our past generations did in professing unconditional love for russia or china or in some cases UK or USA.
even though they were not anti Indian their loyalty to another country led them to being used against Indian interests.

israel will look after their interests, at the detriment of ours if need be, it is their right and their choice. we need to do the same and harbour no illusions about friendship, nations are not human beings and there are no friendships in international relations, only alignment of interests.

sure there is a lot to learn from israel but the topmost lesson should be interest of country comes over anything and everything.

people should read victor ostrovsky's by way of deception to know of israeli thinking towards India.
 

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