The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a supplementary charge sheet against 15 accused in connection with the alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. The charge sheet also includes the names of alleged middleman Christian Michel and accused-turned- approver Rajiv Saxena.
The Special Judge has listed the matter for September 21 for consideration of the supplementary charge sheet. The first charge sheet in the case was filed in September 2017.
The case pertains to the buying of 12 AgustaWestland helicopters built by Italian defence manufacturing giant Finmeccanica at an estimated cost of Rs 3,600 crore for ferrying VVIPs. In the deal, bribes were allegedly paid to middlemen and others. The purchase was cleared in 2010 by the then UPA government.
On January 1, 2014, India cancelled the contract with Finmeccanica’s British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supply- ing 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF, over alleged breach of contractual obligations and on charges of paying kickbacks amounting to Rs 423 crore.
The CBI, which registered an FIR in the case on March 12, 2013, had alleged that former IAF chief S.P. Tyagi, some of his relatives and the other accused received kickbacks from AgustaWestland to help it win the contract.