VVIP chopper deal: BJP demands monotoring of probe

BJP today demanded that the CBI probe into the Rs 3600-crore VVIP chopper deal should be monitored by a competent authority so that the investigation was not 'delayed' as was done in the 2G case.

"Ordering a mere CBI inquiry is not enough. It must be monitored. In the 2G spectrum case, CBI probe was ordered in 2009 but the agency did nothing for 15 months. It was only when the Supreme Court started monitoring the case suo motu that things started moving," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

He said the probe into the issue should be monitored otherwise the government will try to delay it.

Javadekar hit out at former Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju for stating that he can "vouch for the integrity" of former IAF chief S P Tyagi. "This tantamounts to influencing the probe which is condemnable," he said.

Javadekar maintained that three questions were of most relevance in the probe, namely, when the order was placed, when the alleged kickbacks were paid and who were the recipients.

Notwithstanding party leader Jaswant Singh's soft line on Tyagi, BJP said he has a lot to answer for in connection with the deal.

"Our leader Jaswant Singh has commented on the issue. But Tyagi definitely has a lot to answer for. He cannot escape answering these questions," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters here.

Singh had maintained earlier that Tyagi was right about the NDA government changing the requirement norms for buying the VVIP helicopters. He had demanded that no opinion should be given till the CBI probe is completed.

Sitharaman said Tyagi or any other person if found to be involved in the Italian chopper scam should be questioned.

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