Ex-IAF Chief Tyagi drags Manmohan’s PMO into chopper deal

The CBI had on Friday arrested Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev and lawyer Gautam Khaitan.

NEW DELHI: Arrested former Air Force chief SP Tyagi on Saturday told a designated court that the decision to procure VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a “collecti­ve” one and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was also a part of it. Tyagi’s accusations came during a hearing of the remand petition moved by the CBI. The CBI had on Friday arrested Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev and lawyer Gautam Khaitan.

The trio were arrested in connection with the alleged Rs 450 crore bribery case in the Rs 3767 crore VVIP chopper procurement deal. While the CBI sought 10-day remand of the accused for confronting them with one another, the court sent them for four-day police custody till December 14.

Senior counsel N Hariharan represe­n­t­ing Tyagi claimed in the court, “It was a collective decision and not his (Tyagi’s)individual one. It was a collective decision of which the PMO was also a part. The file moved through several levels but I am the only one who has been arrayed as accused.”

CBI told the court that Tyagi had “abused his official position” and when he was the Air Ch­ief Marshal, he had made investments in land and other properties and has not disclo­sed the source of his inc­ome.

At this point during the argument by the CBI counsel, the former IAF chief, who was present in the courtroom, told the ma­gistrate, “My agricultural la­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­nds were bought from 2002. I can give account of all my land investments if they (CBI) wa­-nt.” After hearing the argume­nts, the magistrate remanded the three accused to CBI’s custody till December 14 saying, “considering the seriousness of allegations and gravity of the matter, I am of the considered opinion that CBI custody of the accused is required for a fair probe”.

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