Chopper deal: Reveal names of journos on Orsi`s payroll, says Italian lawmaker

In wake of corruption allegations against Finmeccanica, Italian lawmaker asked Prime Minister Mario Monti to reveal names of journalists on payroll of former CEO of defence firm Giuseppe Orsi.

New Delhi: In wake of corruption allegations against Finmeccanica, an Italian lawmaker has reportedly asked Prime Minister Mario Monti to reveal the names of journalists and media workers on the payroll of former CEO of the defence firm Giuseppe Orsi. Senator Raffaele Lauro, a member of the Italian Finance Committee, asked Monti to "eradicate the rot" of alleged collusion between world of information and top management of companies, according to Italian media reports.

"If not covered by the confidentiality of investigations, the list of journalists and media workers on the payroll of Orsi should be made know immediately," a report quoted Lauro as saying. The report filed by Italian investigators in the court of Tribunale Busto Arsizio there had alleged that Orsi had told Finmeccanica`s chief press officer to manage at least 20 journalists for 20-30 months for a print campaign to improve the image of the firm. Lauro is a member of the Italian senate and the Prefect. Meanwhile, the Italian court today resumed the hearing of the case. Orsi`s lawyer has denied that his client had in any way tried to pressurize the Italian court looking into the matter and getting the prosecutor changed. India has already initiated steps to cancel the helicopter deal and issued a show cause notice to it saying why the deal should not be cancelled in view of the recent developments in the case. PTI