New Delhi: CBI on Thursday quizzed a senior Air Force officer as witness in connection with alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP Helicopter deal in which former Air Chief is one of the suspects. Without naming the officer, CBI sources said an Air Marshal level officer was examined as witness to clarify technical issues related to the tender of 12 helicopters for which UK-based AgustaWestland was chosen as successful bidder.
Sources said the agency wanted to know details of alterations done in the helicopter specifications and whether it had suited the UK company. Former IAF Chief SP Tyagi was booked by CBI along with 12 others, including his three cousins for alleged cheating, corruption and criminal conspiracy in the deal and searches were carried out at 14 locations including his the former IAF chief's residence.
CBI has alleged that AgustaWestland managed to introduce a comparative flight trial with non-functional engine and eventually succeeded in getting the contract for supply of 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from the Defence Ministry mainly due to softening of the IAF on service ceiling after Tyagi took over as its Chief. It has alleged that Italian middleman Guido Haschke, through his Tunisia-based company Gordian Services Sarl, entered into several consultancy contracts with AgustaWestland from 2004-05 and "almost on back-to-back basis he also made consultancy contracts with the Tyagi brothers (Tyagi's cousins), the sources said.
Under the cover of these contracts, Haschke allegedly sent 1.26 lakh Euros and two lakh Euros to
10:21 PM, May 16, 2013
New Delhi: CBI is likely to get transcripts of phone conversations of Italian middlemen allegedly involved in the VVIP helicopter deal, intercepted by law enforcement authorities following court orders in the European country. CBI sources said the documents would be received by the Defence Ministry and later, handed over to the investigating agency to help it in its probe in the multi-crore deal. They said the records are related to...
10:26 PM, May 09, 2013
Milan: The former CEO of the Italian defense giant Finmeccanica was released on Saturday from jail pending his trial on corruption charges in June. Giuseppe Orsi, who was held for some 80 days in pre-trial detention, faces charges for his alleged involvement in the payment of bribes to secure a 560 million euro ($670 million) deal to sell 12 helicopters to India. A speedy trial for Orsi, who was head...
12:56 PM, May 05, 2013
Rome: The 'instant trial' in Rome against ex-CEO of the Italian state-controlled defence giant Finmeccanica, Giuseppe Orsi and the CEO of its helicopter unit AgustaWestland, Bruno Spagnoli for alleged kickbacks in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper deal with India will begin on June 19. A judge in the northern Italian town of Busto Arsizio granted a prosecutor's request for the instant trial, which eliminates preliminary hearings, Italian news agency...
08:09 PM, May 03, 2013
New Delhi: Aeromatrix Info Solutions private limited, an accused firm in the Rs 3600 crore VVIP helicopter deal scam, has moved a Delhi court seeking defreezing of its bank account for paying salaries to its employees. The Chandigarh-based firm, in its petition, has said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has frozen its bank account having around Rs 1.4 crore in it and they want money to pay their employees....
05:58 PM, Apr 17, 2013
After the AgustaWestland scandal, the Defence Ministry is planning to tweak its procurement procedures. But insiders claim these changes are unnecessary and misplaced and reflect a knee jerk reaction from the government. South Block is abuzz with reports of an imminent change in the defence procurement procedures. ...
10:28 AM, Mar 26, 2013
Italian prosecutors have asked for extradition of Swiss resident Guido Haschke who allegedly allege acted as an intermediary for bribes paid to Indian officials to win the 560 million-euro contract for 12 helicopters. ...
01:25 PM, Mar 23, 2013
The Defence Ministry has got the 'contract' between AgustaWestland and alleged middleman Christian Michel regarding the controversial VVIP helicopter Rs 3600 crore deal with India. The 'contract' has been provided by the Anglo-Italian firm to suggest that there was no wrongdoing in the deal, sources told PTI. ...
09:59 PM, Mar 21, 2013
Facing the threat of cancellation of its helicopter deal, AgustaWestland has claimed that there was no wrongdoing in its links with the two software firms, which were allegedly used to pay kickbacks in the Rs 3,600 crore chopper contract. The Anglo-Italian firm has written to the Defence Ministry, and attached along with a report of an auditor to support its claim. ...
08:20 PM, Mar 15, 2013
Italian firm AgustaWestland has got extension of deadline by seven days from Defence Ministry to explain its links with the software companies that were allegedly used to pay kickbacks in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal. The Ministry had asked the firm last week to provide details about its transactions with Tunisia and India-based firms IDS Infotech and Aeromatrix. ...
09:02 PM, Mar 14, 2013
The CBI on Wednesday filed an FIR against 12 people including former Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi and his cousins Julie and Docsa in the AgustaWestland chopper deal case. The FIR names four firms and 12 people. ...
10:53 AM, Mar 13, 2013
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will question Air Force former chief SP Tyagi and his cousins for a second day on Thursday in connection with the Agustawestland chopper scandal. A preliminary inquiry report was filed last week which named 12 people. ...
07:29 AM, Mar 07, 2013
While Parliament in India debates the AgustaWestland chopper deal issue, the focus remains on Christian Michel - the key middleman named in the Italian probe report . Even the Central Bureau of Investigation has named him as a suspect in its preliminary enquiry. ...
12:04 AM, Feb 28, 2013
The Rajya Sabha passed a motion for the formation of Joint Parliamentary Committee on chopper deal even as the BJP, the TMC and the JD(U) walked out of the House opposing the motion. ...
11:41 PM, Feb 27, 2013
High drama was witnessed in the Rajya Sabha as the government pushed through a JPC to probe allegations of kickbacks in the AgustaWestland chopper deal and the BJP, JD(U), Trinamool Congress walked out even before the motion was passed. ...
10:53 PM, Feb 27, 2013
The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a motion for the formation of Joint Parliamentary Committee on chopper deal even as the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Trinamool Congress and the Janata Dal (United) walked out of the House opposing the motion. The Opposition punched holes into the government's arguments that it was serious about the truth and nailing the culprits by pointing out that till now only a preliminary enquiry has...
06:28 PM, Feb 27, 2013
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on AgustaWestland chopper deal, AK Antony said he was ashamed of the "scam" as a Defence Minister. He assured that the government will investigate the matter and punish the culprits. "Anybody involved (in the scam) will have to face serious consequences...the government is determined to find out the truth," said the Union Minister on Wednesday. ...
05:53 PM, Feb 27, 2013
The AgustaWestland chopper deal will be debated in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday after the BJP's demand for a discussion. The BJP is expected to raise the issue giving the Opposition the chance to corner the UPA on the tainted chopper deal. ...
08:08 AM, Feb 27, 2013
The AgustaWestland chopper deal will be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. It had its echo in the Upper House on Tuesday with the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding a discussion on the issue but the government agreed to have it on Wednesday. ...
06:10 PM, Feb 26, 2013
The voting in Italian elections finished on Monday. As counting is on, indications are that none of the two alliances will be able to form a government. While sources say that this is normal in Italy, the deadlock could mean that the fate of AgustaWestland hangs in balance. AgustaWestland is at the centre of the chopper deal controversy involving Indian defence officers. ...
07:47 AM, Feb 26, 2013
