CBI seeks more documents, looks at tweaking of specifications

NEW DELHI: The CBI on Wednesday said it had sought more documents related to the AgustaWestland helicopter deal from the defence ministry as it prepares to question suspected beneficiaries about alleged kickbacks received in the Rs 3,600 crore deal.

The agency will also seek all documents related to changes made in the specifications of 12 VVIP choppers by the office of former IAF chief S P Tyagi to allegedly benefit Italian firm Finmeccanica, sources said.

The agency has also sought the reply given by Finmeccanica to the questions raised by the ministry, CBI sources said. They added the agency was focusing on the circumstances in which the requirements were tweaked in the defence ministry to allegedly suit Finmeccanica and its subsidiary AgustaWestland.

They said files related to alterations in the helicopter's specifications will help the agency identify defence ministry officials who could be questioned. A CBI team is in touch with defence ministry officials who have been asked to produce these files at the earliest, they said.

The CBI is also likely to seek documents from the corporate affairs ministry on the shareholding pattern of Aeromatrix and IDS Infotech, allegedly involved in the kickbacks trail.

The agency has registered a preliminary enquiry against 11 people including former IAF chief S P Tyagi, his three cousins, European middlemen and four companies. Two Indian firms allegedly used to route bribe money are among these four companies.

Tyagi has refuted all allegations against him. The agency has also got some documents from Finmeccanica on the basis of which it has started a probe in the matter.

CBI sources said during the preliminary enquiry, the agency's powers in summoning and carrying out searches were limited and it was trying to complete the enquiry as early as possible so that a clear view of alleged corruption could emerge based on which future course of action would be taken.

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CBI seeks more documents, looks at tweaking of specifications