The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a final report seeking closure of the 2006 case of alleged kickbacks in the Barak missile deal, citing lack of evidence.
After reporters of the then news portal, Tehelka, alleged that senior Samata Party leaders had received bribes in the Rs.1,150-crore deal in 2000, the CBI registered a case against the former Defence Minister, George Fernandes, the former Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sushil Kumar, the former Samata Party president, Jaya Jaitly, and others.
The investigating agency sent letters rogatory to Israel, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and Mauritius, seeking information. Israel denied making payments and declined to give details, saying they were confidential.
‘Insufficient evidence’“The evidence gathered during the probe was not sufficient to back the allegations against the accused,” a CBI spokesperson said. A report was filed in a Patiala House court.
