CBI expands Tatra probe to Hong Kong, Singapore

New Delhi: The CBI has expanded its probe into the Tatra vehicles case to two more countries as it plans to send judicial requests to Hong Kong and Singapore, seeking details of a company which held substantial shares in in Tatra Sipox UK. This is in addition to the four countries — United Kingdom, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Lichtenstein — where operations of Vectra Chairman Ravinder Rishi were traced and the agency had earlier planned to send Letters Rogatory, CBI sources said. [caption id=“attachment_288903” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“AFP Photo”]  [/caption] The agency is likely to seek information from Hong Kong and Singapore about Venus Projects Hong Kong which held substantial shares, nearly 50 percent till 2009, in Tatra Sipox UK, which is already under CBI scanner in the deal, they said. A British National, Rishi has been questioned a number of times by the CBI in connection with the case and based on documents accessed by the agency and his replies, the agency has decided to approach authorities of Hong Kong and Singapore as well, the sources said. Rishi has refuted allegations of any wrong-doing. CBI has alleged that Tatra Sipox UK signed the truck supply deal with defence PSU BEML which was in alleged violation of defence procurement rules which say that procurement should be done directly from original equipment manufacturer only. The CBI has alleged that since Tatra Sipox UK was not the original manufacturer of these all terrain trucks, the rule that defence procurements should be made from original manufacturer was allegedly violated. PTI