CBI to check quality of Tatra trucks

The CBI will take the help of technical experts to verify the quality of heavy-duty Tatra trucks procured by the army.

The CBI will take the help of technical experts to verify the quality of heavy-duty Tatra trucks procured by the army. This issue assumes significance in the light of army chief General VK Singh claiming to the probe agency that he had declined to clear the tranche of around 600 vehicles because they were substandard.

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General Singh has also claimed that he was offered a bribe of Rs. 14 crore by retired Lieutenant General Tejinder Singh to clear the tranche on behalf of Vectra group owner Ravinder Rishi.

"The issue of quality of trucks is intricately linked with the bribe offer. We will seek technical opinion. General Singh has also provided CBI investigators with enough documents to suggest that Tatra trucks were not fulfilling the parameters laid down by the army over the years. The army wanted to try the versions of other vendors," a source said.

According to CBI sources, the army had been seeking modifications in Tatra trucks for many years now. Investigators said though the army had asked for lighter Tatra trucks for transporting troops, they reportedly got the heavier version for laying mines.