Hyderabad: A top CBI source said, “The Delhi CBI team has already recorded the statements of Wanchoo and Narayanan who took part in the meeting in 2005 that allowed key changes in the technical specifications of the chopper. The duo revealed that Telangana Governor, Mr E.S.L. Narasimhan, was also in the meeting. So we have decided to record his statement as it will help in the investigation to know why the service ceiling was reduced.”
Sources said Mr Narasimhan was among the top 10 persons who attended the meeting.
The government had initially stated that the helicopters should be able to fly at an altitude of 6,000 metres to be eligible to be purchased. However the AgustaWestland helicopter was certified to fly only to 4,572 metres and thus was not eligible.
Though Mr Tyagi has refuted it, the CBI has alleged that the parameters for eligibility were changed to benefit Agusta.
In 2013, the Italian police had arrested Mr Giuseppe Orsi, who served as the helicopter manufacturer’s CEO until December 2011 and is currently head of its parent company, Finmeccanica, and the current AgustaWestland CEO, Bruno Spagnolini, on bribery charges.
