The CBI today examined former Deputy Chief of the Indian Air Force JS Gujral in connection with alleged irregularities in the Rs 3,600-crore VVIP chopper deal with AgustaWestland.

Air Marshal (Retd) Gujral arrived at the CBI Headquarters here in the morning and appeared before the investigation team probing the case.

He was one of the many senior officials who were part of the meeting in 2005 when a decision to alter the required specifications was taken.

The agency has called former Air Chief SP Tyagi on Monday.

Both were questioned at length in 2013 but the fresh round of questioning was necessitated after the April 7 order of an Italian court.

CBI has so far maintained that Gujral was questioned as a witness but remained tight-lipped if he would still retain the same status.

The agency, so far, has not levelled any allegations against him.

The agency had registered a case against former IAF Chief Tyagi along with 13 others, including his cousins and European middlemen, in the case.

Tyagi has denied the allegations.

The allegation against the former Air Chief was that he had reduced the flying ceiling of the helicopter from an altitude ceiling requirement of 6,000 m to 4,500 m (15,000 ft) so that AgustaWestland was included in the bids.

However, this decision was taken allegedly in consultation with officials of the SPG and the Prime Minister’s Office, including then NSA M K Narayanan.

CBI has alleged reduction of the service ceiling — maximum height at which a helicopter can perform normally — allowed the UK-based firm to enter the fray as, otherwise, its helicopters were not even qualified for submission of bids.

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