The troubled VVIP chopperpurchase from an Italian firm has also come under the scannerof the Enforcement Directorate which is expected to register acriminal case of money laundering to probe allegations ofkickbacks in the Rs 3600 deal.
The ED started going through documents it had receivedfrom a US Attorney Edmond Allen who was earlier associatedwith arms dealer Abhishek Verma which had suggested thatkickbacks have been paid in the chopper deal by the firmAgustaWestland, the agency sources said.
The references about the firm, which is in the newsbecause of the arrest of Giuseppe Orsi-- the CEO of Italiandefence and aerospace giant Finmeccanica-- were in respect ofalleged purchases of utility and some variants of militarychoppers for Indian defence and security requirements.
Sources said the ED will take a call whether to registera case under the stringent clauses of the Prevention of MoneyLaundering Act (PMLA) in this deal once the CBI files an FIRand also will take in account its ongoing investigation underthe Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
The agency has been conducting a probe since last year for alleged violation of forex laws in the country in theconduct of the VVIP chopper deal and the probe "has beenexpanded" to all other dealings of the said company.
The agency has also questioned Abhishek Verma about hisdealings with this firm but sources said there were a fewleads on this front. Verma has denied any wrongdoing.
The agency is also believed to have gathered some inputsregarding the transactions done to procure 12 VVIP servicehelicopters produced by Finmeccanica's subsidiaryAgustaWestland in 2010.
The ED, according to sources, will approach foreignauthorities once it registers the PMLA case as it would givethem a firm basis to identify any "proceeds of crime", whichare called as kickbacks, in the commissioning of this order.
After yesterday's arrest of Orsi in Italy, the governmentwas to order a CBI probe in this regard.
The ED, sources said, has also approached their foreigncounterparts in Italy for official records but the agency isstill to get the desired help.