<p>The Romanian-born wife of Delhi-based businessman and suspected arms dealer Abhisekh Verma met M M Pallam Raju, minister of state for defence and top officials in the defence ministry months before she and her husband were arrested by investigating agencies to probe their role in several arms deals.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The revelation that Anca Neacsu was accompanied by Michael Leuke, an official of Sig Sauer – German representative of Switzerland-based manufacturing firm Swiss Arms AG, which is one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of rifles and hand guns is set to deeply embarrass the UPA government.<br /> <br /> The duo, sources said, not only met Raju but also defence production secretary Sekhar Agarwal and Vivek Rae, director general, acquisition, in the first week of December after seeking appointment through the proper channel.<br /> <br /> “They (Raju and officials) are authorized to meet representatives of original equipment manufacturer like Leuke and Anca,” said an official.<br /> <br /> However, within months both Verma and Anca were picked up by the CBI, which is probing <br /> allegations of Verma being the middleman in several lucrative arms deals. One of the charges against Verma and his wife was that he received $ 530,000 from German arms major Rheinmetall to get its name removed from the defence ministry’s blacklist.<br /> <br /> Rheinmetall is one of the six companies blacklisted by defence ministry for 10 years for indulging in corrupt practice. On Wednesday, a Delhi court extended the judicial custody of Verma and Anca by 13 days. Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Jain remanded Verma and Anca Neacsu, arrested on June 8, in judicial custody till August 1.<br /> <br /> Corruption charges against Verma were first made by Team Anna a few months ago when it released a set of documents claming Verma’s close links to top officials and ministers in the government for piloting lucrative arms deals through troubled waters.<br /> <br /> The court handed over to CBI some documents, purportedly sent to it by an NGO and linked to a case against Verma and his spouse, asking the probe agency to examine them and take action on them, if necessary.<br /></p>
<p>The Romanian-born wife of Delhi-based businessman and suspected arms dealer Abhisekh Verma met M M Pallam Raju, minister of state for defence and top officials in the defence ministry months before she and her husband were arrested by investigating agencies to probe their role in several arms deals.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The revelation that Anca Neacsu was accompanied by Michael Leuke, an official of Sig Sauer – German representative of Switzerland-based manufacturing firm Swiss Arms AG, which is one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of rifles and hand guns is set to deeply embarrass the UPA government.<br /> <br /> The duo, sources said, not only met Raju but also defence production secretary Sekhar Agarwal and Vivek Rae, director general, acquisition, in the first week of December after seeking appointment through the proper channel.<br /> <br /> “They (Raju and officials) are authorized to meet representatives of original equipment manufacturer like Leuke and Anca,” said an official.<br /> <br /> However, within months both Verma and Anca were picked up by the CBI, which is probing <br /> allegations of Verma being the middleman in several lucrative arms deals. One of the charges against Verma and his wife was that he received $ 530,000 from German arms major Rheinmetall to get its name removed from the defence ministry’s blacklist.<br /> <br /> Rheinmetall is one of the six companies blacklisted by defence ministry for 10 years for indulging in corrupt practice. On Wednesday, a Delhi court extended the judicial custody of Verma and Anca by 13 days. Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Jain remanded Verma and Anca Neacsu, arrested on June 8, in judicial custody till August 1.<br /> <br /> Corruption charges against Verma were first made by Team Anna a few months ago when it released a set of documents claming Verma’s close links to top officials and ministers in the government for piloting lucrative arms deals through troubled waters.<br /> <br /> The court handed over to CBI some documents, purportedly sent to it by an NGO and linked to a case against Verma and his spouse, asking the probe agency to examine them and take action on them, if necessary.<br /></p>
