AgustaWestland chopper deal probe may point to more defence personnel

New Delhi: The investigations into the AgustaWestland chopper deal may bring in more defence personnel under scrutiny. Apart from the Tyagi brothers, the Italian probe report mentions a military man who also received kickbacks.

An alleged middleman, Guido Haschke's confession, quoted in the Italian probe report, mentions negotiations with an important person in Indian defence. Italian investigators believe it maybe a military man, other than former Air chief SP Tyagi - who has been named as one of the main accused.

Haschke's confession also refers to commissions paid to the family saying the team scaled down its commission in order to make a 28 million euro payment to the family.

Apart from the Tyagi brothers, the Italian probe report mentions a military man who also received kickbacks.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation is preparing to start its investigations into the AgustaWestland chopper deal. It has already registered a complaint on the basis of the Defence Ministry report.

As it now gets ready to file a Preliminary Enquiry report, sources say, the CBI is going to be focusing on some important things.

The CBI team is to fly to Italy within the next few days to meet Italian police officials probing the case. Sources say a two-member CBI team consisting of a senior investigator and a law officer will go to Italy and the team will meet the prosecutors in Italy.

The agency has also put in a formal request to get both the Italian probe reports that have been filed in court.

In India, the CBI is focusing on IDS India and Aeromatrix that have been named in the probe report. 510,000 euros were paid per month through engineering contracts to IDS India and IDS Tunisia.

Aeromatrix is a Chandigarh based firm which has been named in the Italian chargesheet. Praveen Bakshi, the head of this firm, has reportedly gone underground now.

Big questions:

- Who is this 'military man' that the Italian report points to?

- Are there more military officers involved in this scam other than former Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, who has been named as one of the main accused?

- Haschke confession says 28 million euros have been kept aside for 'the family'. Who is 'the family'?

Also See

• Chopper deal: BJP drags in Rahul, Cong says don't accuse randomly
• CBI to send team to Italy as government starts process to scrap chopper deal

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