New Delhi
Top executives of the US-based world's biggest retailer WalMart have been examined by Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) amid allegations that the company gave bribes to government officials to get customs clearances and obtain permits to set up stores in India.
The company officials have submitted balance sheets of past seven years and sought time to give some more documents required by the anti-corruption watchdog. "We had summoned WalMart's officials. Following which, two of their senior executives including company's India head have been examined. They have sought time till December 15 to submit more documents relevant in the case," Vigilance Commissioner T M Bhasin told PTI here today. The officials were examined recently.
It is for the first time that the probity watchdog has started investigations involving a private company.
Bhasin said that both the officials were summoned under the relevant section of the CVC Act which empowers it to summon and enforce the attendance of any person from any part of the country and requisition any public record or copy, among others.
WalMart spokesperson in a statement said it responded to the CVC's summons.
"Walmart is committed to operating in a responsible and legal manner, wherever we do business. And compliance with anti-corruption laws in the US and all international markets is a key priority. That is why we work closely with third-party compliance experts on support and training, as we continuously review and strengthen our programs around the world.
"We know there is much interest in these issues, and we respect the work of the Vigilance Commission and responded to its summons and appeared before it. However, we are not in a position to comment further," the spokesperson said.
The move by the Commission came after it took suo motu cognisance of the matter. A report by Wall Street Journal had claimed to have found evidence of WalMart Stores Inc allegedly paying "thousands of small bribes to local officials" in India to get customs clearances and obtain real-estate permits.
