Mamata welcomes probe into bribes by US firms
October 14th, 2009 - 11:17 pm ICT by IANS
Kolkata, Oct 14 (IANS) Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday welcomed the government’s decision to look into the issue of bribes paid by some US firms to Indian government officials.
“I welcome the initiative taken up by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). I will also look into the matter,” she said.
India’s ambassador to the US Meera Shankar had earlier this year written to the PMO about the bribes paid by some US firms to officials in various departments and ministries, including the railways, to get contracts.
Assuring that the railways would enquire into the issue, Banerjee said, “We’ll abide by whatever the prime minister has said. The railways will go by the PMO’s decision.”
Shankar’s May 2009 letter mentions seven cases of Indian officials bribed by American companies. The letter also mentions that Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies (WABTEC) paid $137,400 to Indian Railways employees in bribes.
According the Corrupt Practices Act in the United States, all US companies must provide details of the illegal payments they make in foreign countries.
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Tags: ambassador, bribes, contracts, corrupt practices, foreign countries, illegal payments, India, indian government officials, indian officials, indian railways, initiative, mamata banerjee, prime minister, railway minister, wabtec, westinghouse air brake, westinghouse air brake technologies
