CBI has registered an FIR against a UK-based arms dealer for allegedly taking kickbacks worth over 5.70 million US dollar from Brazilian company Embraer in the 2008 aircraft deal.
Sources in the CBI said, the kickbacks were allegedly paid in 2009 through subsidiaries of Embraer via a Singapore based company which is owned by the middleman. It is alleged that payoffs were routed through Austria and Switzerland.
They said the agency, which had registered a preliminary enquiry in September, has converted it into a regular FIR as enough prima-facie material has been found by it to proceed in the case. The agreement for three aircraft which were to be used by DRDO for air-borne radar systems was inked in 2008 with Embraer.