The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been questioned former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi on today in connection with its probe into alleged corruption in the Agusta Westland (AW) choppers deal. Tyagi was summoned for allegedly receiving bribes from the United Kingdom based Agusta Westland, a subsidiary of Italian defence giant Finmeccanica, to help change the technical requirements that has enabled the firm to bag the Indian deal.

The allegation against the former air chief is that he had reduced the flying ceiling of the helicopter from 6,000 m to 4,500 m (15,000ft), so that Agusta Westland can participate in the bids. This decision was reportedly taken after consultation with the officials of SPG and the Prime Minister's Office including the then NSA MK Narayanan.

“Following painstaking investigations, five immovable properties of the Tyagi brothers, worth Rs. 6.2 crore, have been provisionally attached,” according to an ED spokesperson.

“Payment of €4.05 lakh (about Rs. 2.49 crore) to the Tyagi brothers was made through the banking channel between 2004 and 2011 and the remaining amount was paid in cash between April 2011 and December 2011 after the contract was signed on February 8, 2010, for the supply of 12 helicopters,” the spokesperson said.

Mr. Tyagi and former Deputy Chief of Indian Air Force J.S. Gujral, have already been questioned at length in 2013. The fresh round of questioning was necessitated after the April 7 order of an Italian court made references to his name.

Enforcement directorate investigations had earlier revealed that €1.05 million was paid to the three cousins of the former Air Chief Marshal, by Haschke and Gerosa through their Tunisia-based companies, Gordian Services Sarl and IDS Tunisia, in the guise of consultancy charges.

Meanwhile, offering himself up for the interrogation by Indian agencies, CBI and ED who are investigating the Rs. 3,565 Cr VVIP Chopper deal, the alleged middleman for the deal, James Christian, Michel insisted that he is a victim of “political conspiracy”.

By Premji