A British court on Monday adjourned to 28 January the case brought by the Serious Fraud office (SFO) against Robert John Hallet, former managing director of Alstom Transport India, for allegedly bribing officials of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) with over 3 million Euros to secure contracts between 2000 and 2006.
Hallet was ‘requisitoned’ by the court and released on bail earlier this month. At Monday’s hearing it was announced that his conditional bail will remain as before. The SFO case includes charges related to Alstom’s projects in India, Tunisia and Poland.
During the preliminary hearing at the Southwark Crown Court, it was decided that Hallet’s ‘plea and case management’ hearing will take place on 28 January, when a similar hearing will be held for the corporate body of Alstom Network UK.
The specific charge against Hallett is that he, along with other directors of the company, gave bribes to secure DMRC contracts, totalling over 3 million Euros. SFO prosecutors have been given an 18 November deadline to submit evidence related to the bribery charges.
The charge mentioned in court is: “Robert Hallet together with Alstom Network UK Limited (formerly Alstom International Limited) and certain of its directors and others between 1st day of August 2000 and the 9th day of August 2006 did corruptly give or agree to give payments to an official or officials or other agents of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation”.
The charge mentioned in court is: “Robert Hallet together with Alstom Network UK Limited (formerly Alstom International Limited) and certain of its directors and others between 1st day of August 2000 and the 9th day of August 2006 did corruptly give or agree to give payments to an official or officials or other agents of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation”.
The two specific payments mentioned are: “The sum of INR 19,895,000 disguised as payments in respect of a Consultancy Agreement with Indo European Pte Ltd dated 12 September 2001; and the sum of (EURO SIGN) 3,131,600 disguised as payment in respect of a Consultancy Agreement with Global King Technology Ltd dated 3rd May 2002”.
The two payments, SFO charged, were made “as inducements or rewards for showing favour to the Alstom Group in relation to the award or performance of a contract with the said Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd for a Train Control, Siganlling and Telecommunications System for the Delhi Metro Phase 1”.