Devas Multimedia on Friday alleged that the CBI chargesheet against it was a “mala fide act” of the Indian government in retaliation for exercising their legal rights arising out of the “illegal” annulment of the Devas-Antrix contract.
CBI had on Thursday filed a chargesheet against Devas Multimedia, its then CEO and three directors along with former senior officials of Indian Space Department, including then ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair.
The agency has charged the nine accused, including the company, of criminal conspiracy, cheating and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.
A statement issued by Devas Multimedia said it has not seen the chargesheet so it was not in a position to comment on its specifics.
Babbio further added that it is notable that the chargesheet has been issued just weeks after the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) tribunal unanimously found that the Indian government unlawfully expropriated the investments of Devas’s Mauritius-incorporated shareholders and that the Indian government’s actions denied fair and equitable treatment to those shareholders.
Babbio said that since 2011, when India annulled the Devas- Antrix contract, Devas has been subjected to a range of unlawful measures from various parts of the government, including the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate.
(With PTI Inputs.)
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