AgustaWestland had kept Rs 217 crore for bribe: Report

"When the tender was issued, I informed Orsi or Lunardi that the 18,000 feet limit had been lowered. The operational ceiling had been set at 15,000 feet. This had reopened the race for Agusta along with the Russians and the Americans," he added. The middleman reportedly claimed he had paid around Rs 72 lakhs to the three cousins of ACM Tyagi. "I remitted the total amount of 100,000 euros (Rs 72 lakhs). There was a previous agreement between us and the

Indians to share the compensations for the consultancies at 50 per cent.

"In reality, we shared only the first two portions. The other 200.000 euros were kept by me and GEROSA also on the basis of the real expenses we faced for our travels to India," he said.

The middleman alleged that Tyagi used to brief them about the developments in the tender during their meetings, according to the report of the Italian investigators. The report said "Haschke and Gerosa, through the Tyagi brothers, in turn through their cousin ACM S P Tyagi, managed first to change the tender details, in a way to favour, modifying the 'operational ceiling' from 18,000 to 15,000 feet of altitude, thus allowing AgustaWestland spa (which otherwise could not have even submitted an offer) to take part in the tender."

"They managed to introduce a comparative flight trial with non-functional engine, thus facilitating AgustaWestland helicopters, the only ones which had three engines. In this way they managed to get the contract to AgustaWestland," it alleged.

After the arrest of Orsi and Spagnolini in Italy, India has put on hold the delivery of three AW-101 choppers to be delivered in March along with the remaining six.

The payments for the choppers has also been stopped and defence ministry has stated that because of the integrity pact, it can get back all the money paid by it for the deal.

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