New Delhi, April 22, 2005 (ANI)

A CBI inquiry has been ordered into all purchases from South African arms major Denel, which allegedly paid kickbacks to influence an arms deal.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee has already put on hold all purchases from the South African company following the furore in parliament Thursday with Congress members demanding a CBI probe.

A South African newspaper had reported that the firm paid middlemen to secure deals in India during the tenure of the NDA government.

Meanwhile, former Defence Minister Gerorge Fernandes, today accused the UPA government of trying to trap him through unfair means.

"Politics today is such that corruption is prevalent everywhere," the former Defence Minister said.

"I have always been opposed to it and this is something that the Congress has never liked about me. That is why I am always targeted," he added.