CBI names Tyagi, cousin, eleven others

The CBI on Monday registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) in the VVIP chopper deal.  Former Air Force chief SP Tyagi and his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi have been named in CBI’s PE. Eleven other persons and four companies have also been named.

This is the second instance when a former services chief has been named in a CBI inquiry. Former Admiral Sushil Kumar was named in a CBI case to probe alleged kickback in purchase of Barak missiles in early 2000.

Sources said suspected European middlemen Carlo Garosa, Christian Michel and Guido Haschkhe, advocate Gautam Khaitan formerly associated with Aeromatrix and its CEO Praveen Bakshi, former Finmeccanica Chairman Giuseppe Orsi, former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini have also been named.

Italian companies Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland, IDS Infotech and Aeromatrix also figure in the PE, they said.

In a report filed by Italian investigators on the AgustaWestland defence chopper deal in Italy, the three Tyagi brothers - Julie, Docsa and Sanjeev - are alleged to have received kickbacks from middlemen.

The CBI registered the PE on the basis of documents which the agency managed to procure from Italy on Sunday.