AgustaWestland scam: CBI digs up a 'contract between S P Tyagi kin and Haschke'

The CBI is learnt to have unearthed a copy of an agreement between former Air Chief S P Tyagi's cousin Julie and middleman Guido Haschke which allegedly nails the role played by the Tyagis in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal scam.

This contract, dated May 2004, was found in the piles of documents and bank papers seized by investigators during raids at 14 locations in Delhi and elsewhere on Wednesday.

CBI sources claimed the contract for providing consultancy services, signed between Julie Tyagi and Haschke's Gordian Services Sarl, would help prove the conspiracy in the deal.

Investigators believe that soon after the signing of this contract, Haschke transferred a total of Euro 1,26,000 to Tyagi's firm. The money, given against bills raised by Tyagi's company, came in four instalments between May and November 2004.

Haschke and his partner Carlo Gerosa allegedly made a second set of payments in February 2005, soon after Tyagi took over as IAF chief. The Tyagi brothers — Julie, Docsa and Sandeep — were apparently unable to explain these remittances during questioning by investigators.

In its FIR registered on Tuesday evening, CBI said it was around this time that the retired Air Chief cleared the modification of the service ceiling requirement from 6,000 m to 4,500 m, thus letting AgustaWestland enter the contest to supply the choppers.

According to CBI, Tyagi's role had been established from the defence ministry's procurement files on the choppers, which showed the former Air Chief had agreed to reduce the service ceiling despite the IAF's "vehement" opposition.

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