Ex-IAF Chief SP Tyagi at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi. PTI

Syed Ali Ahmed

Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, May 2

The CBI today questioned former Indian Air Force Chief SP Tyagi for hours in connection with alleged irregularities in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. The premier investigation agency will soon question ex-legal Adviser to Chandigarh-based IDS Infotech Gautam Khetan in the case.Tyagi arrived at CBI headquarters at around 10 am for questioning. His questioning continued even after 6 pm. The focus of questioning is around the alleged bribery in VVIP chopper deal in the light of Italy’s Milan court order.Sources said Tyagi visited Italy after his retirement in 2007. He visited Florence, Milan and Venice in 2008 or 2009. The CBI is collecting details of purpose of his visiting Italy after the retirement. Tyagi’s cousins will also be called tomorrow for sustained interrogation.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.The allegation against the former Air Chief was that he had reduced flying ceiling of the helicopter from 6,000m to 4,500m (15,000 ft) 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 MK Narayanan.The 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. The CBI has yet not officially received a copy of the Milan court order.Tyagi has denied allegations against him and has claimed that the decision to reduce the ceiling was taken by a group of senior officials. The agency had already questioned Tyagi but this session is the first after the Italian court order.The CBI has also decided to question Khetan as chopper deal kickbacks were allegedly laundered in the garb of software export and engineering contract through four companies, including IDS Infotech in which he was legal adviser. He was also part of the board directors in Aeromatrix owned by two other suspects —Haschke and Gerosa.

After retirement, Tyagi visited Italy in 2008/9

• Former Indian Air Force Chief SP Tyagi visited Italy after his retirement in 2007. He visited Florence, Milan and Venice in 2008 or 2009, said sources
• The CBI is collecting details of purpose of his visiting Italy after the retirement. Tyagi’s cousins will also be called for sustained interrogation on Tuesday
• The agency will also question Chandigarh-based IDS Infotech ex-legal Adviser Gautam Khetan in the case
• n Kickbacks were laundered in the garb of software export and contracts through four firms,including IDS Infotech