Cong demands probe into arms deal with SA firm

The controversy over the alleged pay offs in a defence deal with a South African arms manufacturer snowballed with Congress and other UPA members demanding a probe.

The controversy over the alleged pay offs in a defence deal with a South African arms manufacturer snowballed on Thursday with Congress and other UPA members, including Rahul Gandhi, demanding a probe into the matter, which the Government said, would do thoroughly.

HT Image

"The Government will get the matter looked into thoroughly," Minister of State of Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri told the Rajya Sabha after UPA members demanded an investigation into media reports of alleged payoffs in the rifle deal.

"I am not in a position to say which agency will look into the matter but the Government is taking the matter very seriously," he said when RJD and Left members demanded which agency would probe the matter.

A similar demand for a CBI probe was voiced by UPA members including Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. Agitated Congress members stood up on their seats waving copies of newspaper. Leader of the House and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who was in the House, did not respond.

The alleged payoffs in the rifle deal was raised by RJD member Ramdeo Bhandary during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha and in the course of heated exchanges, Congress members said the faces behind Varas Associates, a British Isles based company which had acted as a front for the South African company, had been identified.