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AgustaWestland case: (The Indian Express )




AgustaWestland case: CBI to knock on Vijay Singh, CAG Shashi Kant Sharma’s door In February 2010, India had signed a cThe govt cancelled the deal in January 2014. The CBI, which arrested former IAF chief S P Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie Tyagi and lawyer-businessman Gautam Khaitan last Friday in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal case, is set to question former Defence Secretary Vijay Singh and current Comptroller and Auditor General Shashi Kant Sharma as part of its probe. Sharma too served as Defence Secretary during UPA rule. A source in the agency familiar with the investigation said Singh was “on the CBI radar”. The CBI, the source said, is also likely to question a few officers of the then PMO and SPG. Watch what else is in the news Police Seize Rs. 58 lakhs In New Denominations On Sunday, Singh denied ousted Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry’s allegation that he was involved in the award of the contract to AgustaWestland. An independent director on the board of Tata Sons, Singh said he was Defence Secretary from 2007 to 2009 and the AgustaWestland acquisition was approved by the Cabinet after his retirement. CAG Sharma did not respond to requests from The Indian Express for comment. CBI sources said his questioning was “crucial” to the case since he served in various capacities between 2005 and 2013 including as Defence Secretary. In February 2010, India had signed a contract with AgustaWestland International Ltd for supply of 12 AW 101 VVIP helicopters at an aggregated price of Rs 3726.96 crore. The government cancelled the deal in January 2014 “on grounds of breach of the pre-contract integrity pact and the agreement” by AWIL. Sources said Tyagi, who received around Euro 6.4 million, “was a cog in the wheel”. Sources said the CBI got evidence that he kept in touch with the marketing chief of Finmeccanica even after his retirement.
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