Sudhir Choudhrie is an Indian-born and London-based international businessman who has been booked by the CBI for alleged corruption in the procurement of Hawk 115 Advanced Jet Trainer Aircraft in 2004. He is accused of conspiring with Rolls-Royce, its former India Director Tim Jones, British Aerospace Systems (BAE Systems), and unknown public servants to deceive the Indian government and receive bribes, commissions, and kickbacks.
The CBI FIR also claimed 100 million pounds were paid by Russian arms companies into a Swiss bank account (No. 120467) in the name of Portsmouth, a company associated with Sudhir Choudhrie for defence deals with Russia for purchase of MIG fighter aircraft.
The CBI FIR also claimed 100 million pounds were paid by Russian arms companies into a Swiss bank account (No. 120467) in the name of Portsmouth, a company associated with Sudhir Choudhrie for defence deals with Russia for purchase of MIG fighter aircraft.
- Choudhrie was born in Delhi, India in 1949. He studied economics at the University of Delhi and then worked as a businessman in India. In the 1980s, he moved to the UK and set up a number of businesses, including a property company and a healthcare company. He also became involved in politics, and he donated money to the Labour Party.
- In the 1990s, Choudhrie began to get involved in defence deals. He was involved in the deal to supply
Hawk fighter jets to India, and he was also involved in a deal to supply artillery guns to theIndian Army . These deals were controversial, and there were allegations that Choudhrie had paid bribes to Indian officials in order to secure them. - In 2006, the CBI raided Choudhrie’s offices in India. The CBI was investigating allegations of corruption in the Hawk fighter jet deal. Choudhrie was not arrested, but he was questioned by the CBI.
- In 2011, the SFO opened an investigation into Choudhrie. The SFO was investigating allegations that Choudhrie had paid bribes to Indian officials in order to secure the artillery gun deal. Choudhrie was arrested in London in 2014, but he was released on bail. The SFO investigation is still ongoing.
- Sudhir Choudhrie has a son named Bhanu Choudhrie, who is also an arms dealer and has been booked by the CBI along with his father in the same case. Sudhir Choudhrie has faced previous investigations by the CBI and the
Enforcement Directorate in other defence deals, such as the Soltam deal to upgrade 130-mm field guns and the Barak missile deal. - Choudhrie has denied all allegations of corruption. He has said that he is a legitimate businessman and that he has never paid bribes to anyone.
Other business interests of Sudhir Choudhrie
Healthcare: He is the founder of Alpha C&C Group, a holding company for investments in healthcare, aviation, and hospitality. He also founded Alpha Hospitals, a chain of mental health facilities in the UK.
Aviation: He has been involved in the aviation industry since the 1990s. He also served as a director of Deccan Aviation Ltd and Kingfisher Airlines.