CBI seeks AgustaWestland deal documents from Defence Ministry

The CBI has sought from theDefence Ministry documents related to the AgustaWestlandhelicopter deal as it prepares to question suspectedbeneficiaries about alleged kickbacks received in the Rs 3600crore deal.

The agency has also sought the reply given by Italianfirm Finmeccanica to the questions raised by the Ministry, CBIsources said.

They said the agency is focusing on the circumstances inwhich the requirements were tweaked in the defence ministry toallegedly suit the Finmeccanica and its subsidiary supplierAgustaWestland.

They said files related to alterations in the helicopterspecifications will help the agency in identifying DefenceMinistry officials which could be questioned by it and whocould help it understand the reasons behind the changes.

An agency team is in touch with the Defence Ministryofficials who have been asked to produce these files at theearliest, they said.

The CBI is also likely to seek documents of Indian unitsof the companies from Corporate Affairs Ministry on theshareholding patterns of-- Aeromatrix and IDS Infotech--allegedly involved in the case after seeking legal opinion inthe matter.

The agency has registered a preliminary enquiry against11 people including former IAF chief S P Tyagi, his threecousins, European middlemen and four companies. Two Indianfirms allegedly used to route bribe money are among these fourcompanies.

Tyagi has refuted all the allegations against him.

The agency has also managed to get hold of some documentsfrom Finmeccanica on the basis of which it had started probein the matter.

The CBI sources said during preliminary enquiry, the agency's powers in summoning and carrying out searches arevery limited and it is trying to complete the enquiry as earlyas possible a clear view of alleged corruption could emergebased on which future course of action would be taken.

In its Preliminary Enquiry, CBI mentioned allegationsthat in the procurement process of the helicopters, somemiddlemen have influenced the deal in favour of a UK-basedcompany.

It is also alleged that an Italy-based company paidcommission in terms of several millions of Euros to the middlemen and two middlemen from their share of commission allegedlypaid huge sums of money to several Indian nationals throughTunisia and Mauritius route in the garb of engineeringcontracts with two India-based companies, the PE said.

The money, according to the CBI's PE, was sent in thegarb of engineering contracts with Indian companies-- IDSInfotech and Aeromatrix.

Besides the former IAF chief, 10 others including hiscousins -- Julie, Docsa and Sandeep Tyagi -- have also beennamed along with four companies in the PE, CBI sources said.

Suspected European middlemen Carlo Gerosa, ChristianMichel and Guido Haschkhe, advocate Gautam Khaitan formerlyassociated with Aeromatrix and its CEO Praveen Bakshi, formerFinmeccanica Chairman Giuseppe Orsi, former AgustaWestland CEOBruno Spagnolini have also been named.

Besides Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland, IDS Infotech andAeromatrix also figure in the PE, they said.

All the suspects and companies named by the CBI in its PEhave denied allegations of receiving or giving kickbacks inthe deal.

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