Indian arms dealer to be a Lord in UK?

Indian arms dealer to be a Lord in UK?

TNN | Oct 22, 2013, 06.09 AM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Indian-arms-dealer-to-be-a-Lord-in-UK/articleshow/24509792.cms

NEW DELHI: Sudhir Choudhrie, one of India's most notorious arms-dealers and who figures in CBI's list of "undesirable contact men", may soon end up finding a seat in the UK's House of Lords.

If the proposal of ruling British party Liberal Democrats goes through, then Choudhrie would add yet another sensational twist to his already cinematic life.

According to British media reports, British deputy PM Nick Clegg has proposed that Choudhrie, one of the biggest political donors to Liberal Democrats, be appointed a peer.

The move would come at a time when the Italian authorities and CBI are investigating the VVIP helicopter scandal, in which Finmeccanica's former senior executives have claimed that Choudhrie was the Italian consortium's middleman for India contracts in the past.

He also figures in the CBI's FIR into the Barak missile scandal, though he is not named an accused. Another FIR, naming Choudhrie an accused, was closed a few months ago by CBI, which said it had no concrete evidence.

He has also been identified by the CBI in a list of 23 undesirable contact men, with whom government departments and officials are not to have any business. Government officials are also supposed not to have any social contacts and not to accept hospitality or gifts from them.

According to reports, Choudhrie's family has donated more than £640,000 to Liberal Democrats since 2004. He has personally given £95,000 while family companies gave at least £525,000 to the ruling party, according to them.

Choudhrie runs several companies in the UK, India and elsewhere. The parent company of many of his firms are Harberry Investments, which is based in the tax haven of British Virgin Islands.

Choudhrie is believed to be India's most powerful arms-dealer. He has extensive interests in Europe, Israel, and Russia. He is also suspected to partially control defence firms at least in Israel.

Rising with the help of an uncle who once was a senior official with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ( HAL), Choudhrie has had a dizzying growth as an arms-dealer over the last three decades. Through extensive use of tax havens and powerful political-bureaucratic and military contacts, he is suspected to have swung major defence contracts in India.

If Choudhrie becomes a peer in UK, it would be a new high for illegal arms-dealers operating in Indian market.

House of Lords

House of Lords and the House of Commons are houses for the British Parliament.

Note: Shirley Williams is a member of the House of Lords, a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and was the commissioner for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

Alexei Arbatov is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and was the commissioner for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

William J. Perry is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and was the commissioner for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

Better World Fund was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Gro Harlem Brundtland is a director at the Better World Fund, and was the commissioner for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

Nafis Sadik is a director at the Better World Fund, and a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Hisashi Owada is a director at the Better World Fund, a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Charles D. Powell is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and an independent member for House of Lords.

Walter Isaacson is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and was the chairman & CEO for CNN.

Ted Turner is the founder & chairman for the Better World Fund, the founder for CNN, and a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Better World Fund was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

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Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Center for American Progress, the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the International Rescue Committee.

Igor S. Ivanov is a board member for the International Crisis Group, and a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Gareth Evans is a board member for the International Crisis Group, and was a co-chair for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

Ernesto Zedillo was a board member for the International Crisis Group, and the commissioner for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

Shirley Williams was the commissioner for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and a member of the House of Lords.

Christopher Patten is a co-chair for the International Crisis Group, and was a member of the House of Lords.

House of Lords and the House of Commons are houses for the British Parliament.

David Miliband was a member of the House of Commons, the president-elect for the International Rescue Committee, and is a distinguished senior fellow for the Center for American Progress.

Melody C. Barnes was the EVP for the Center for American Progress, the domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration, and is Barack Obama’s golf partner.