The custody of former Air Force Chief S.P. Tyagi on Wednesday got extended till December 17 for further investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the Rs 3,600-crore VVIP AgustaWestland scam.
Although the CBI had sought custody for another seven days, it got permission for only three days to identify the money trail and bribery charges against him, his cousin Sanjiv Tyagi and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan. The total kickbacks are estimated to be 12 per cent of the deal, sources said.
The three accused were arrested last Friday when the CBI wanted to take them to custody for 14 days. The CBI informed the court that officials from AgustaWestland had a meeting with Tyagi in his residence on procuring the 12 AW-101 helicopters, out of which only three were delivered so far.
CBI also told the Patiala House court that it has obtained some critical information through letters rogatory from Italy, Switzerland and Mauritius. All the accused were arrested on Friday by the CBI under Section 120B, Section 420 IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Tyagi, on the other hand, is believed to have reiterated that the CBI had no grounds for extending his remand. He also said the decision to buy the helicopters and the specifications were taken collectively by the then former Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Defence and the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Tyagi is the first retired service chief to be arrested over allegations of graft in a defence deal. He was Air Force chief from 2004-2007.
The government, through its order dated July 3, 2014, had put on hold all procurements from six companies figuring in the FIR registered by the CBI. They are Agusta Westland International Ltd, UK; Finmeccanica, Italy, and its group companies, including subsidiaries and affiliates; IDS, Tunisia; Infotech Design System (IDS), Mauritius; IDS Infotech Ltd, Mohali; and Aeromatrix Info Solutions Pvt Ltd, Chandigarh.