Haschke accepts links with Tyagi family, refutes bribery
11 Jan 2014 5:38 AM IST
During his deposition before a court in Milan, Haschke claimed he knew the cousins of former IAF chief – Juli, Dosca and Sanjeev Tyagi, who have been named in the FIR filed by CBI which is probing the case in India, top sources said.
At the hearing in which a CBI officer was also present, the middleman denied having knowledge of any bribes given to the then air chief.
CBI suspects that AgustaWestland allegedly paid bribes worth 51 million euros through IDS Infotech Tunisia and its subsidiary in Mauritius and India, in which Haschke was a Director, in the form of engineering contracts using fake invoices.
Haschke denied the allegation saying that the money which was routed to India was only for paying for the engineering work done by IDS and to meet the administrative costs incurred by it.
He admitted to having good relations with the cousins of SP Tyagi but claimed he had never met the former air chief, CBI sources said here.
Haschke, who was arrested in Switzerland and extradited to Italy, is facing trial in a Milan court for alleged corrupt activities along with top executives of AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica.
Taking a tough stand, India had on January 1 scrapped the helicopter deal, nearly a year after allegations surfaced that kickbacks to the tune of Rs 360 crore were paid to bag the contract.
The Milan court had allowed Indian authorities to examine Haschke in the bribery case, which is being heard in Italy.
It is for the first time that CBI is part of Haschke’s examination, which has been done by the Defence Ministry officials through their lawyers in the court.
At the hearing in which a CBI officer was also present, the middleman denied having knowledge of any bribes given to the then air chief.
CBI suspects that AgustaWestland allegedly paid bribes worth 51 million euros through IDS Infotech Tunisia and its subsidiary in Mauritius and India, in which Haschke was a Director, in the form of engineering contracts using fake invoices.
Haschke denied the allegation saying that the money which was routed to India was only for paying for the engineering work done by IDS and to meet the administrative costs incurred by it.
He admitted to having good relations with the cousins of SP Tyagi but claimed he had never met the former air chief, CBI sources said here.
Haschke, who was arrested in Switzerland and extradited to Italy, is facing trial in a Milan court for alleged corrupt activities along with top executives of AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica.
Taking a tough stand, India had on January 1 scrapped the helicopter deal, nearly a year after allegations surfaced that kickbacks to the tune of Rs 360 crore were paid to bag the contract.
The Milan court had allowed Indian authorities to examine Haschke in the bribery case, which is being heard in Italy.
It is for the first time that CBI is part of Haschke’s examination, which has been done by the Defence Ministry officials through their lawyers in the court.
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