CBI Examining SFIO Report on Tata-Unitech Deal: Report
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started examining a report by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) on the Tata-Unitech deal and the agency would be soon examining some of the senior officials of the two companies in this regard.
The CBI has also informed the Supreme Court about its decision to begin a probe into the Tata-Unitech deal which was not investigated during the earlier probe carried out by the CBI in the 2G spectrum case.
A preliminary enquiry (PE) has been registered by CBI to probe an alleged Rs 1,700-crore land deal between Tata Realty and Unitech in 2007.
The SFIO has alleged that the realty deal between the Tatas and Unitech in 2007 could have been meant for funding Unitech's telecom licence issued in January 2008.
Sources in the agency said that all documents pertaining to this case were being scrutinised and soon the officials from the two companies will be examined to ascertain the actual purpose of the land deal.
Tata Realty has maintained that the company has explained its position on this deal.
"We have explained our position on this issue in the past. We reiterate that we have comprehensively addressed questions from all Government agencies and fully cooperated with all authorities in their investigations. We stress that we are committed to the highest standards of ethics and business conduct," company spokesperson had said earlier.
Unitech refused to comment on the issue.
The SFIO was asked by the Corporate Affairs Ministry in 2012 to look into the affairs of Niira Radia-led PR firm Vaishnavi, which used to handle media relations of various Tata group firms and Unitech.
After examining the officials of the two companies, the sources said that a detailed report would be submitted before the Supreme Court.
The CBI is probing whether the advance given by Tata Realty was used by Unitech for real estate projects or for a telecom licence pertaining to the 2G telecom spectrum allocation scam.
The agency decided to probe this aspect after Reliance Telecom Limited had approached the Supreme Court seeking directions to quash the FIR filed against it in connection with Swan Telecom which was alleged to be the front company of Reliance Telecom Limited (RTL).
As the agency was preparing a reply on RTL plea, the CBI found that no probe had been conducted against Tatas so far and the same was conveyed to the Supreme Court.
