A day after the BJP raised the issue of US companies allegedly paying hefty bribes to Indian entities and Ministries, it has been learnt that the CBI has already launched a probe into one of the cases involving the Agriculture Ministry while internal inquires are on in all other departments been named in the letter by Indian envoy to US Meera Shankar.

Sources said that while the CBI probe has begun in the case pertaining to Dow Chemicals and allegations of bribes to an official of the Central Insecticides Board, a detailed report in expected by the end of this month.

While Shankar’s letter was received on May 12, officials said, action on it could only be taken on June 1 — due to the elections — when the government referred it to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the nodal ministry for the CBI.

The letter had details of “seven instances of corruption” involving US companies. Of these, four pertained to alleged corruption that occurred when the BJP-led NDA was in power.

After the PMO referred Shankar’s letter to the DoPT, it, in turn, sent it to the Railway, Agricultural and Defence Ministries, the Maharashtra government and the Department of Revenue (Enforcement Directorate).

The DoPT wrote back to the PMO in early August saying that the matter has been referred to the relevant departments. However, unhappy over the reply, the PMO sent a letter to the DoPT on August 19 asking it to revert with a definitive reply with Action Taken Reports in all these cases.

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