Abhishek Verma claims retd Lt-Gen was on payroll

Controversial arms dealer Abhishek Verma has told the CBI that a retired Lt-Gen, who has been under probe in another bribery case, was on his payroll. The CBI had questioned him in connection with a case filed under the Official Secrets Act. Rajesh Ahuja reports.

Controversial arms dealer Abhishek Verma has told the CBI that a retired Lt-Gen, who has been under investigation in another bribery case, was on his payroll, sources disclosed.

File-photo-of-businessman-Abhishek-Verma-Verma-Official-Secrets-Act-is-facing-CBI-probes-in-Official-Secrets-Act-case-for-getting-money-from-arms-firm-for-influencing-public-servants-and-for-forging-letters-of-sports-minister-Ajay-Maken-and-a-CBI-official-AFP-Photo

The CBI had questioned Verma in connection with a case registered under the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

The agency has alleged that more than half a dozen documents classified as secrets were found in Ganton Ltd employees' possession. Ganton is allegedly a front company of Verma.

"Verma claimed that a senior retired army officer of the Lt-Gen rank became his consultant of sorts. The arms dealer was allegedly paying Rs. 2 lakh a month in cash to the officer. The officer was once posted in an intelligence agency of the defence ministry. We are checking whether he was on Verma's payroll before he retired. He may have supplied classified documents to Verma or employees of his front company," an official said.

According to sources, after Verma's statement, the Lt-Gen in question was also grilled. The officer accepted that he got monthly cash payments from Verma for his 'consultancy' services.

Besides the OSA case, Verma is facing CBI probes in three new cases - for getting money from arms firm, for influencing public servants and for forging letters of sports minister Ajay Maken and a CBI official.

All these cases were filed against Verma in the last few months based on documents supplied by his US-based attorney C Edmond Allen. A CBI team will visit the US next month to record Allen's statement in this regard.