Soon after his retirement in 2007, former IAF chief S P Tyagi reportedly visited Florence, Milan and Venice in 2008/9.
Former IAF chief SP Tyagi was on Monday questioned by CBI for around 10 hours over his alleged links with middlemen in the controversial Rs 3,600-crore Agusta Westland 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 who has been named in the CBI FIR reached the agency headquarters at around 10 AM but refused to speak to media which posed questions about his role in the alleged corruption in the deal.
“I have told CBI what I had to say. You people(media) are inhuman,” he told reporters in response to questions in the night at the end of his questioning.
Soon after his retirement in 2007, Tyagi reportedly visited Florence, Milan and Venice in 2008/9.
The investigation agency are also examining details of Tyagi’s bank accounts and other assets. He is expected to be called in again tomorrow for further questioning. His cousins, who were also summoned by the agency in relation to the case, will be examined soon.
Former IAF chief SP Tyagi leaves CBI Office after first day of questioning #AgustaWestland pic.twitter.com/Z0WauNcAo8
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 2, 2016
WATCH | AgustaWestland: Why Is It A Big Deal Politically Now?
Ex IAF chief S P Tyagi visited Florence, Milan and Venice in 2008/9. He retired in 2007: CBI sources @IndianExpress
— sagnik chowdhury (@sagnik_c) May 2, 2016
The Milan Court of Appeals, equivalent of an Indian High Court, has given details of how alleged bribes were paid by helicopter-maker Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland to Indian officials through middlemen to clinch the deal.
READ | AgustaWestland case: CBI questions ex-IAF chief SP Tyagi
The allegation against the former Air Chief was that he had reduced flying ceiling of the helicopter from 6,000m to 4,500m (15,000ft) so that AgustaWestland was included in the bids.
However, this decision was reportedly taken in consultation with the officials of SPG and the Prime Minister’s Office including then NSA M K Narayanan.
CBI has alleged that the reduction of the service ceiling, maximum height at which a helicopter can perform normally, allowed the UK-based firm to get into the fray as otherwise its helicopters were not even qualified for submission of bids.
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