After medical equipment during COVID-19: Vinay Appanna resurfaces in a case of contracts for Rs 380 million at the CNT

After being regularly cited in the awarding of juicy contracts under the former government, particularly during the period of confinement linked to COVID-19, the name of Vinay Appanna resurfaces. His company, AV World Spare Parts Ltd, of which he is the sole shareholder, obtained between 2020 and 2024 contracts totaling Rs 380 million from the National Transport Corporation (CNT).

On April 21, in response to a parliamentary question from Stéphanie Anquetil, the Minister of Transport, Osman Mahomed, declared that the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) is conducting an investigation into counterfeit spare parts acquired by the former management of the CNT.  He said several items were purchased by the former management at prices ranging from three to 25 times higher than current rates. He described these practices as “comprehensive theft”. A survey carried out at the CNT level reveals additional costs of up to 16 times the market price.

Furthermore, counterfeit parts would have been acquired at prices equivalent to or higher than those of authentic parts. As an example, Minister Mahomed cited the purchase of a crankshaft at Rs 365,000 each, four times its current price of Rs 89,600. Another example, a Ball Joint which had been purchased from another supplier for Rs 600 on July 12 was sold by AV World Spare Parts the year before, i.e. on August 7, 2024 at Rs 38 200. Which, according to an official CNT document, represents a variation of 6,267%.

Between 2020 and 2024, a single supplier, AV World Spare Parts Ltd, benefited from contracts representing more than Rs 308 million, according to the minister's statements. This company was the preferred supplier of the former management of the CNT. Documents presented by the minister suggest that excessive prices paid to this supplier forced the CNT to spend hundreds of millions of rupees more, funds that could have been used to acquire new buses.

Minister Osman Mahomed also revealed that former NTC Director General Rao Rama was formally charged in December 2025 by the FCC for “public official using office for gratification” in connection with a bus tire purchase contract. Another FCC investigation is underway into the supply of counterfeit parts between 2020 and 2024.

Vinay Appanna, shareholder and director of AV Techno-World Co Ltd, was already known to the judicial services. On March 3, 2021, he testified before the Moka court as part of the investigation into the death of Soopramanien Kistnen. Brother-in-law of Jonathan Ramasamy, former Chairman of the State Trading Corporation (STC), Vinay Appanna then declared that he had obtained, during confinement, two contracts for medical equipment as well as a contract from the Central Electricity Board (CEB) for the installation of a temperature detection system linked to COVID-19, worth Rs 2.5 M.S.