On the second day of interrogation, former Chief of Indian Air Force SP Tyagi has admitted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that he met officials from Finmeccanica, the parent company of Rome-based chopper producer AgustaWestland. “After sustained examination and confrontation with hard evidence, SP Tyagi has accepted meeting officials from Finmeccanica, including their Chief Operating Officer (COO)… CBI confronted him with diaries and registers and he accepted,” said a senior CBI official.

Tyagi seemed to have met the Finmeccanica COO – Giorgio Zappa – on February 15, 2005. This means the former Air chief met them while he was in office. Tyagi was the Chief of Air Staff from December 2004 to March 2007.

CBI officials also said the agency is also examining all the international travels being undertaken by him by scrutinising his passport and other such material. The CBI is focussing more on his post retirement travels. He retired in 2007.

According to sources, Tyagi and his wife had also floated four firms — Vanshi, Anuras, Shavan and Meghanshu — during 2011 and 2012. These firms are based out of Noida.

CBI believes that more details on these companies will be found out over the course of his interrogation.

Tyagi, along with his kin, is accused of routing ₹3,600-crore VVIP chopper deal in favour AgustaWestland. He will be quizzed again on Wednesday.

Additionally, the CBI had also called Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan on May 4 over money laundering charges in the chopper scam.

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