Former IAF Chief S P Tyagi was on Friday chargesheeted by the CBI in a Delhi Court along with nine others in connection with a bribery case in the Rs 3,500 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.
72-year old Tyagi is the first chief of the Indian Air Force to be chargesheeted in a corruption or a criminal case by the CBI.
Besides him, the agency has also chargesheeted retired Air Marshal J S Gujral along with eight others, including five foreign nationals, in the charge sheet filed before Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar.
The court fixed September 6 to peruse the charge sheet in which the Anglo-Italian company, AgustaWestland, is also one of the accused.
CBI is likely to file more documents and annexures in the court on the next date of hearing.
The agency has alleged that there was an estimated loss of Euros 398.21 million (approximately Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for supply of VVIP choppers worth Euros 556.262 million.
Others named in the charge sheet are — Tyagi’s cousin Sanjeev alias Julie, advocate Gautam Khaitan, alleged European middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Michel James, Guido Haschke, former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini and former Finmeccanica Chairman Giuseppe Orsi.
They have been chargesheeted for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC in the case relating to alleged bribery of Rs 450 crore.
Tyagi, who had retired in 2007, his cousin Sanjeev and Khaitan were arrested on December 9 last year by CBI in the case. These accused are currently on bail.
