Bangalore/New Delhi:
Prime Minister's advisor TKA Nair has denied that there was any irregularity in the allotment of a plot to his niece and a family friend in a Bangalore area that belongs to the Housing Cooperative Society of BEML (Bharat Earth Movers Limited). In a statement to the Press Trust of India, Mr Nair today said there was "no irregularity or illegality to the best of my knowledge."
"My attention has been drawn to media reports about the alleged irregular allotment of residential plots of the Housing Cooperative Society of BEML to my relatives and family friends. To the best of my knowledge no irregularity or illegality was involved in the allotments," Mr Nair said in a statement today.
He also dismissed any linkage to the Tatra truck deal, which is being investigated.
Mr Nair said he has asked the Prime Minister's Office to obtain all relevant facts of the matter through the Department of Defence Production.
Mr Nair's statement came after a media report suggested that plots were allotted to his niece A Preethy Prabha and family friend Uma Devi Nambiar at "throwaway prices" in BEML society in South Bangalore in 2008.
According to sources, the sale deed between Mr Nair's niece and the society was cancelled recently.
Former BEML employee and advocate KS Periyaswamy has alleged that Mr Nair and BEML Chairman and Managing Director VRS Natarajan were involved in the questionable allotment of plots that were meant for the employees of the company.
"There is a nexus deal between Natarajan and TK Nair from 2002," Mr Periyaswamy told NDTV.
Earlier this month, Mr Natarajan was grilled by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a probe into the Tatra-Army trucks deal case. BEML is one of India's biggest defence public sector units based in Bangalore. Tatra is a Czech truck manufacturer which supplies parts to BEML. The trucks are assembled at BEML and sold to the Army. Tatra deals with the Army came under scanner after Army Chief General VK Singh disclosed last month that he was offered a bribe to clear "sub-standard" trucks. The Army has bought 7000 Tatra trucks since 1986.
In another case, the CBI has booked Mr Natarajan for alleged cheating, criminal conspiracy and corruption in connection with the tender process for hiring a private consultancy firm. His property was raided by the CBI earlier this month.