NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Former Air Force chief SP Tyagi, his cousin Julie Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan were on Friday arrested by the CBI in the AgustaWestland chopper deal case.
The former air chief has been repeatedly questioned on the deal with AgustaWestland, in which kickbacks were allegedly paid to Indian officials and politicians to
influence the contract for a dozen VVIP choppers. Sources said they will be produced in court on Saturday.
Retired Air Marshal Tyagi is accused by investigators in Italy and India of helping AgustaWestland win the Rs. 3,600 crore chopper contract by tailoring specifications
at the instance of his cousins.
Investigations have revealed that it was in 2004 that the Tyagis entered into a consultancy deal with middlemen, when Air Marshal Tyagi's cousins were certain that SP Tyagi would be the next air force chief and thus in a position to influence the deal.
He has repeatedly denied the allegations.
The Rs 3600 crore to supply 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland came under the scanner after Italian authorities alleged that bribe was paid by the company to
clinch the deal.
In March 2013, the CBI had registered a case in the deal. Based on the CBI complaint, ED officials had booked Tyagi and some members of his family. And in July 2014,
the Enforcement Directorate registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Tyagi and 20 others in the Rs 3,600-crore deal.
