Former IAF Chief Air ChiefMarshal S P Tyagi, whose name has surfaced in the VVIPhelicopter scam, today admitted having met one of the allegedmiddlemen but claimed innocence.
"I have met Carlo in my cousins' place but when you sayyou have contact with him, then the answer is no. Whatconnection could I have with him. I want to tell you that thewhole process started after I retired... the entire process ofevaluation, trials, contracts took place in 2010," Tyagi toldreporters.
The former IAF chief refuted allegations that he was paidbribes to swing a Rs 3,600 crore deal for procuring 12choppers from Italian firm Finmeccanica to ferry VVIPS.
"I am innocent. These allegations are totally baselessand I am denying them categorically. The deal was signed in2010 whereas I retired in 2007 itself," he said.
Names of Tyagi's three cousins Julie, Docsa and SandeepTyagi have also figured in reports suggesting that they hadalso a role to play in clinching the deal. He denied that hisrelationship with his cousins had any business dimension.
Asked if he had changed any specifications for thecontract to favour Finmeccanica, Tyagi said the "staffqualitative requirements for the VVIP choppers were frozen in2003, much before I assumed the office of Chief of Air Staff,and the IAF did not change any requirements after that."
Reports today suggested that Italian investigators havealleged in a preliminary inquiry submitted in an Italiancourt that business conglomerate Finmeccanica bribed S PTyagi when he was chief of the Indian Air Force to swing thecontroversial AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal in favour ofthe company.
After the arrest of Finmeccanica's head yesterday inItaly in connection with the controversial deal, the DefenceMinistry here ordered a CBI probe into the charges.