Arms dealer Sudhir Choudhrie is back in the news after a report published by BBC and Guardian on Monday revealed how British aero engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce allegedly bribed him of around 10 million pounds to win contract for supplying engines for Hawk trainer jets used by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Hawk Aircraft are used by the IAF pilots for training purposes.
Monaco-based Unaoil, which provides industrial solutions to the energy sector in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, is under the scanner of United Kingdom's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) after allegations of bribery, corruption and money laundering were levelled against it due to its relationship with Rolls-Royce.
The SFO said, "We are conducting major investigations into allegations of bribery and corruption involving both Rolls-Royce and Unaoil, the Guardian reported.
London-based Choudhrie serves as an adviser to the Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron and he has been on the Indian government's blacklist of people suspected of "corrupt or irregular practice".
In 2004, Choudhrie's name cropped up in an arms deal and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probed the matter.
However, the investigation was dropped years later and Choudhrie pleaded not guilty. Even, he went on to say it was an attempt by his opponents to tarnish his image in general public.
Choudhrie and his family members' names were also cropped up in the Panama Papers earlier this year and they were described as beneficiaries of a Panamanian foundation set up in 2004 and also exposed how Choudhrie's elder son Bhanu is working as a director in two British Virgin Islands (BVI) companies since 2002.
Bhanu is also named as director and shareholder of two Seychelles companies formed in 2007.
Choudhrie's lawyers, however, defended their client and said he "has never paid bribes to government officials or acted as an illegal middleman in defence deals".
The probe has also claimed that agents were hired in Brazil, India, China, Indonesia, South Africa, Angola, Iraq, Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
Rolls-Royce, a 13 billion pound company sells turbines and engines for passenger jets and military aircraft.
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