Arms dealers' Nandas to be produced in Patiala Court today

Arms dealer Suresh NandaNew Delhi, Mar 14: Arms dealer Suresh Nanda, his son Sanjeev Nanda and others, who were arrested on charges of receiving kickbacks in the controversial Barak missile deal, will be produced in Patiala House Court here today.

On Tuesday, Suresh, Sanjeev, who is an accused in the BMW hit-and-run case, chartered accountant Bipin Shah and Deputy Director of Income Tax Ashutosh Verma were sent to three days' CBI custody for allegedly manipulating evidence in an income tax case against him.

Earlier, the CBI counsel sought ten-day custody of the accused to unearth details in the case.

The counsel said the accused had to be confronted with various documents seized during the raids at different places after their arrest. They also had to be questioned on the recovery of Rs 55 lakh from Shah's residence.

The CBI alleged that the accused made contradictory statements during interrogation about the purpose of their meeting at a hotel in Mumbai. It also alleged that Verma had taken a room in the hotel with a fake identity of Shakti Verma.

The four involved in the scam have been charged under section 120 (B) for criminal conspiracy.

The External Affairs Ministry had earlier suspended Suresh's passport on the CBI's request.

Suresh, the son of the former Navy Chief, Admiral S. M. Nanda, is alleged to have received over 450 crore rupees in kickbacks.

Former Defence Minister George Fernandes and the then Naval Chief Admiral Susheel Kumar are also accused in the Rs 1,150 crore Barak missile deal.

Nanda is also an accused in a case involving the purchase of Armoured Recovery Vehicles. (ANI)

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