UD ministry in touch with MEA over Alstom bribery case

NEW DELHI: A day after Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) alleged that some directors of Alstom “corruptly gave or agreed to give payments to an official or officials or other agents” of the DMRC between August 1, 2000 and August 9, 2006, urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu reportedly directed UD secretary to get in touch with the external affairs ministry.
According to reliable sources, the UD secretary would ask the foreign secretary to get in touch with the Indian Mission in London, which can try to get exact details of charges leveled by SFO.
“The ministry cannot do anything until the details of the case and investigation are available with us. We have zero tolerance for corruption. Once the details reach us the ministry can also order an investigation into the issue. This is a serious matter and none would be spared,” said an official.
The SFO, which has been investigating Alstom for five years as part of international criminal inquiry into alleged corruption, has alleged that the company disguised corrupt payments as consultancy agreements to win signaling contract for phase I & II of Delhi Metro.