VVIP chopper scam: After Tyagi's arrest, top Congress leader under CBI scanner
New Delhi: A top Congress leader close to the party high command is set to come under the CBI scanner following the arrest of former IAF chief S.P. Tyagi in the multi-crore AgustaWestland bribery case.
Sources said the role of the senior Congress leader is being probed on the basis of the ruling given by the Milan court of appeals — equivalent to an Indian High Court — on April 8.
“The Italian court had ruled that the Rs 3,565-crore AgustaWestland contract involved payoffs to Indian officials. The annexures attached to the judgement also point at close to Euro 30 million worth of commission being budgeted for distribution among decision-makers in India who included politicians, bureaucrats and IAF officials, among others. In its order, the Italian court said payments in cash as well as through wire transfers were made to the Tyagi family and a part of them were destined for the officer himself,” sources said.
Italian ruling named several congressmen
Investigators are probing the alleged role of the Congress leader on the basis of the Italian court’s order. The 226-page court ruling mentioned names of several Congress leaders, primarily in communication between the middlemen.
The judgement also mentioned statements given by the middleman Guido Haschke, documents recovered from his suitcase, and his conversations with business partner Carlo Gerosa and alleged middleman Christian Michel, among other witnesses. Mr Tyagi who was arrested on Friday, has been remanded in CBI custody for four days.
In court on Saturday, Mr Tyagi, who headed the IAF between 2005 and 2007, said changing specs of the helicopters was not his decision alone. Mr Tyagi’s lawyer said in 2003 the PMO asked the Air Chief to get involved. The CBI may now seek clarification from the then PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh. During a 2005 meeting, the changes in requirements were suggested, Mr Tyagi’s lawyer said.
The CBI had earlier recorded statements of three former Governors — M.K. Narayanan of West Bengal, B.V. Wanchoo of Goa and E.S.L. Narasimhan of AP. Mr Narayanan, was National Security Advisor, Mr Wanchoo was head of the Special Protection Group and Mr Narasimhan was head of Intelligence Bureau in 2005. All three had attended the 2005 meet which allowed key changes in the tender specifications of the VVIP helicopter.
