In its reply to the final show-cause notice by the Defence Ministry on corruption allegations in the VVIP chopper deal,Italian firm AgustaWestland has claimed that no wrong has been done and that it has not violated the stringent integrity contract. The reply,which comes days after representatives of the firm met Defence Ministry officials,is now likely to be referred to the Law Ministry for an opinion.
Sources said the Defence Ministry will examine the reply in detail and will take a final call on cancellation of the contract soon. As reported,the Attorney General has already given an opinion that the strict Integrity pact a safeguard against corrupt practices can be applied in the AgustaWestland case and that enough evidence exists that points to wrongdoing.
While the ministry is likely to scrap the contract Defence Minister A K Antony has gone on record to say that wrongdoing has been done and has made it clear that there is no question of joining an arbitration process initiated by the company a final call will be taken after careful examination of the final reply.
Four kids charred in Assam village
Guwahati: Four children were burnt to death in Ganesh tapu a char island sand-bar on the Brahmaputra in Nagaon district in central Assam Tuesday when the tongi-ghar made of bamboo and thatch in which they were playing caught fire.
Official sources in Nagaon said the children were inside the tongi-ghar when it caught fire and engulfed the structure within a few minutes. The children have been identified as Risuwana Begum 5,Tazimul Haque 3,Sariful Alam 3 and Janaddan Nessa 4. ENS