After being questioned by CBI, Goa governor Wanchoo resigns
5 July 2014 11:58 PM GMT
Goa Governor BV Wanchoo resigned on Friday soon after he was questioned as a ‘witness’ by a team of CBI sleuths from the national capital to probe alleged irregularities and bribery in the Rs 3600-crore VVIP helicopter deal with Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland.
Earlier, MK Narayanan, a former National Security Advisor (NSA) and governor of West Bengal, was questioned as a witness on 27 June and after three days he stepped down from the post.
Narayanan’s term was ending on January 2015, while Wanchoo’s term was to end in 2017. Many bureaucrats feel they should have resigned with dignity since they were aware that CBI is trying to question them.
The officers recorded his statement as a witness as Wanchoo, along with Narayanan, had participated in the meeting in 2005 that allowed some key changes in the technical specifications of the helicopter. Wanchoo, was then the chief of Special Protection Group (SPG), while Narayanan was the NSA before being appointed as governor of Goa and West Bengal respectively.
In more than an hour of questioning, Wanchoo reportedly passed the buck on the technical wing of the defence ministry for allowing the key changes. The same statement was also given by Narayanan after being questioned by the CBI.
CBI sources said, ‘Our team will come back to Delhi on Saturday and then will decide the next course of action.’ An official statement issued by the Goa Raj Bhawan confirmed that the CBI had recorded Wanchoo’s statement under section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) as ‘a witness’ in the VVIP helicopter case. ‘Mr Wanchoo had volunteered to give his statement after the CBI came up with a formal request on June 24,’ it reads. Wanchoo became the governor of Goa in May, 2012.
There was an allegation against the former Indian Air Force Chief SP Tyagi that he had reduced flying ceiling of the helicopter so that AgustaWestland was included in the bids to compete with another company Sikorsky.
Earlier, MK Narayanan, a former National Security Advisor (NSA) and governor of West Bengal, was questioned as a witness on 27 June and after three days he stepped down from the post.
Narayanan’s term was ending on January 2015, while Wanchoo’s term was to end in 2017. Many bureaucrats feel they should have resigned with dignity since they were aware that CBI is trying to question them.
The officers recorded his statement as a witness as Wanchoo, along with Narayanan, had participated in the meeting in 2005 that allowed some key changes in the technical specifications of the helicopter. Wanchoo, was then the chief of Special Protection Group (SPG), while Narayanan was the NSA before being appointed as governor of Goa and West Bengal respectively.
In more than an hour of questioning, Wanchoo reportedly passed the buck on the technical wing of the defence ministry for allowing the key changes. The same statement was also given by Narayanan after being questioned by the CBI.
CBI sources said, ‘Our team will come back to Delhi on Saturday and then will decide the next course of action.’ An official statement issued by the Goa Raj Bhawan confirmed that the CBI had recorded Wanchoo’s statement under section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) as ‘a witness’ in the VVIP helicopter case. ‘Mr Wanchoo had volunteered to give his statement after the CBI came up with a formal request on June 24,’ it reads. Wanchoo became the governor of Goa in May, 2012.
There was an allegation against the former Indian Air Force Chief SP Tyagi that he had reduced flying ceiling of the helicopter so that AgustaWestland was included in the bids to compete with another company Sikorsky.
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