VVIP chopper cam: Ex-IAF chief SP Tyagi reaches CBI office for questioning

New Delhi: With the controversy surrounding the VVIP chopper deal getting murkier by the day, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Tuesday, will again question ex-Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi in connection with the case.

The former IAF chief today reached CBI headquarters for questioning in the alleged VVIP chopper scam.

The CBI had yesterday grilled Tyagi for around 10 hours over his alleged links with middlemen in the controversial Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal during which he was also quizzed about the source of funding for his post-retirement trip to Italy.

It was for the second time in three years that the retired Air Chief Marshal was being questioned in connection with the VVIP chopper deal but it was for the first time he was quizzed after an order of the Italian court on the matter. He was earlier quizzed in 2013.

Tyagi has been named in the FIR in the chopper deal along with 13 others including his brothers -- Sanjeev, Rajeev and Sandeep -- and European middlemen Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

Sources said Tyagi's brothers will soon be summoned for questioning along with Gautam Khaitan, another accused in the case.

The allegation against the former IAF chief is that he had reduced flying ceiling of the helicopter from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres (15,000 feet) so that AgustaWestland was included in the bids.

However, Tyagi maintains that the decision was reportedly taken in consultation with officials of the Special Protection Group (SPG) and the Prime Minister's Office. Twelve helicopters were to be bought by India.

The CBI says the reduction of the service ceiling, which is the maximum height at which a helicopter can perform normally, allowed the Britain-based firm to get into the fray. Otherwise its helicopters were not even qualified for submission of bids.

The chopper deal resurfaced after an Italian court last month referred to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh among others in connection with the chopper deal but gave no details of any wrongdoing by the two leaders.

The CBI, which has received a copy of the Milan court order, has now prepared a fresh set of questions for Tyagi, who has denied the bribery allegations.

The Milan court has also given details of how alleged bribes were paid by AgustaWestland's parent company Finmeccanica as well as AgustaWestland to Indian officials through middlemen to clinch the deal.

The order mentions Tyagi's name in several places.

The investigating agency had quizzed former IAF deputy chief JS Gujral on Saturday.

Both Tyagi and Gujral were questioned in 2013 but the fresh round of questioning was necessitated after the recent order of the Italian court.

AgustaWestland's Rs 3,600 crore contract for supplying 12 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force was scrapped by the then UPA government over charges of paying kickbacks to Indian agents.

In January 2013, India cancelled the deal and the CBI was assigned to investigate the matter.

The CBI on March 13, 2013 registered a first information report against Tyagi and others in the case.

Firms Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland, IDS Infotech Ltd (India) and Aeromatrix India were also booked as accused in the case.

(With Agency inputs)