VVIP Chopper scam: CBI to produce S P Tyagi before court today

CBI will produce before the court today former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi and seek his remand. CBI arrested him yesterday in the Agusta Westland helicopter deal case. Delhi based lawyer Gautam Khaitan and another person namely Sanjeev Tyagi were also arrested in the case. 

The deal is related to purchase of 12 helicopters for VVIPs from Italian manufacturer, Finmeccanica in 2010 during UPA-2 government's rule.71-year old Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning at CBI Headquarters yesterday along with Khaitan and Sanjeev Tyagi. These are the first arrests in the case by CBI



which came three years after it registered an FIR in 2013.

CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh said in New Delhi yesterday that it was alleged that Chief of Air Staff entered into criminal conspiracy with other accused persons. She said in 2005, Air Force Chief conceded to change IAF's consistent stand and reduced service ceiling of VVIP Helicopters to 4500 meters.

She said such changes in Operational Requirements made the private company based at the UK (AgustaWestland), eligible to participate in the Request for Proposal for VVIP Helicopters.