VVIP Choppers deal scam: AgustaWestland seeks and gets more time

PTI : New Delhi, Thu Mar 14 2013, 21:35 hrs

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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 chopper 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.

The Italian firm had sought a week's extension to explain its linkages with the two firms and the request has been granted by the Defence Ministry. AgustaWestland has been asked to furnish their clear replies within this stipulated time-period, highly-placed sources said.

Both Aeromatrix and IDS Infotech are based in Chandigarh and are being investigated by the CBI along with former air chief S P Tyagi and three of his cousins for allegedly ensuring that AgustaWestland won the Rs. 3,600-crore deal from India.

A show cause notice was issued by the Defence Ministry to AgustaWestland last month as part of the process to cancel the contract for 12 VVIP choppers.

The Ministry had asked the firm why the deal should not be cancelled in view of corruption charges against it.

The firm had replied to the letter denying any wrongdoing in the deal but Defence Minister A K Antony rejected the response of the firm.

The Defence Minister has ordered a CBI probe into the allegations of kickbacks to the tune of Rs 362 crore after the arrest of CEO of Finmeccanica Giuseppe Orsi and AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini by Italian investigators in connection with the case.

Chopper deal: CBI analyses documents, plans questioning

CBI has started analysing documents recovered during its searches yesterday in connection with the its FIR registered in alleged kickbacks in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal.

CBI sources said the agency had recovered documents and hard-disks of computers which are being sent to forensic laboratory for further analysis.

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