File photo of George Fernandes
Giving relief to former Defence Minister George Fernandes, the Central Bureau of Investigation today filed its closure report in the Rs 1150-crore Barak missile case.
The investigating agency filed the closure report after Israel, where these missiles were made, refused to cooperate with India in investigations.
Israel also refused to give details about IAI (Israel Aircraft Industries), the company which produces these missiles. In its reply to CBI's Letter Rogatory, Israel denied making any payments to clinch the deal.
The closure report was filed a day after the government cleared proposal to acquire the Israeli-made missiles; the procurement was put on hold for the last five years because of the CBI investigation, which began after an expose by the Tehelka magazine alleging kickbacks in clearing the deal. The CBI filed FIRs in 2006 against Mr Fernandes, Samata Party chief Jaya Jaitley and former Navy chief Admiral Sushil Kumar in connection with the case.
CBI sources said judicial requests were sent to the United Kingdom, UAE, Mauritius, Germany and Israel seeking details of financial transactions and other details of accused persons involved in the case but their replies do not substantiate the allegation of kickbacks levelled against them.
Sources said that clearance for the Barak missiles is expected to come as a relief for navy which had strongly pitched for them to due to their depleting stocks.