A day after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) suspended BEML Chairman and Managing Director V.R.S. Natarajan, in-charge designate P. Dwarakanath, seniormost Director, has taken charge.
Mr. Dwarakanath, Director of the Metro and Rail Business of BEML, will continue to hold his current post. BEML sources said that on Tuesday a senior MoD official delivered the order suspending Mr. Natarajan and appointing Mr. Dwarakanath as in-charge of BEML's corporate office here.
The MoD on Monday suspended Mr. Natarajan on a recommendation from the CBI, which is probing alleged irregularities committed in the supply of Tatra trucks to the Army by BEML and award of the Enterprises Resource Planning project contract to Astral Consultants, among others.
Under the present dispensation, the sources said the day-to-day administration would not be affected. In fact, on Monday, even after the news of suspension reached the top management, scheduled interviews for promotions continued unhindered. But the sources said no major decision could be taken until a permanent Chairman and Managing Director was appointed.
Meanwhile, BEML sources said the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PSEB) has scheduled the interview to select the new CMD for June 22, and 16 persons, including five from BEML, have been shortlisted. Mr. Dwarakanath is also one of the contenders.
“The announcement may come soon after the interview process is completed since the company has an in-charge CMD now,” the sources said. Incidentally, the PSEB interview had been scheduled even before Mr. Natarajan's suspension as he was set to retire in September.
