Ex-Ordnance DG arrested

In a development that could lead to the unearthing of a major scam in defence procurement,the CBI on Tuesday arrested a former Director General of the Kolkata-based Ordnance Factory Board and three of his alleged accomplices on charges of criminal conspiracy and recovered cash and foreign depository receipts worth 2 crores. A case has been registered under Section 120 B and other sections of the Cr PC against Sudipta Ghosh,the former Director General of the Ordnance Factory Board,for entering into a criminal conspiracy with the object of demanding and obtaining huge illegal gratification in the matter of various supply orders placed by the Board on the private manufacturerssuppliers including foreign suppliers and also in the matter of transfers/postings. The charges pertain to his stint as DG,OFB,from May 2007 to April 2009.

Ghosh and his alleged accomplice Kanai Lal Das were arrested from Kolkata while two others,Aashish Bose and Pradeep Rana,allegedly a middleman for Israel Military Industries,were nabbed from Delhi,CBI officials said.

The agencys probe has also pointed to the role of an Additional General Manager of Air India,Ramesh Nambiar,who was in close touch with foreign suppliers of military equipment to India.

A search at Ghoshs Kolkata residence yielded 87 lakh rupees besides 10,000 dollars approximately Rs 5 lakh,National Savings Certificates worth 13.85 lakh,bank passbooks and details of monthly income schemes worth Rs 22.78 lakh along with jewellery worth Rs 23.74 lakh.

While Ghosh and Das have been remanded in CBI custody till May 27,Bose and Rana have been sent on a transit remand for two days.