Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said UPA must answer who received kickbacks in AgustaWestland helicopter deal. He said the main question was who received the bribe.
Parrikar said Milan Appellate Court in Italy had clearly said that political corruption was 15.8 million euros, which amounts to 125 crore rupees.
Responding to defence minister Parrikar’s charge, principal opposition party Congress has accused BJP of lying and misleading people in the AgustaWestland deal scam.
Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked why NDA government gave protection to AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica for the last two years.
He said smear campaigns by BJP couldn’t cover up the fact that BJP helped AgustaWestland.
In a related development, CBI began the questioning of Air Marshal (Rtd) JS Gujral at its headquarters in New Delhi.
JS Gujral, who had already been examined as a witness in the case, was summoned by the agency to its office in New Delhi for questioning.
As deputy chief of air staff, Gujral was in charge of procurements.
CBI has also called former Air chief S P Tyagi for questioning on Monday.
The Milan Court of Appeals, equivalent of Indian high courts, 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 order mentions the name of Tyagi at several points.
