Our Bureau The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint against Embraer SA in a case involving middlemen in the sale of three planes by the Brazilian firm to the DRDO.

The complaint also names Interdev Aviation Services Pte Ltd, Anoop Kumar Gupta (Director of KRBL Ltd), KRBL Ltd, Anurag Potdar (nephew of Anoop Kumar Gupta) and others.

The CBI registered an FIR on the basis of a reference received from Chief Controller, R&D (R&M) & DS, Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), with regard to the allegations that Embraer was being investigated by authorities the US and Brazil for alleged employment of an agent in facilitating the contract for AEW&C Project for procurement of three fully modified EMB-145 aircraft.

Based on the FIR, the ED initiated a probe under the provisions of the PMLA. It revealed that Embraer obtained the contract for supply of aircraft to the Indian Air Force for $210 million and paid commission of $5.76 million to a middleman named Vipin Khanna for influencing the contract in its favour. The kickbacks were routed by Embraer through its subsidiaries to Interdev Aviation, Singapore in lieu of a sham agreement, the ED said.

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