CBI arrests three more in Deepak Talwar's NGO case

New Delhi: After arresting a close aide of corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar, The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday arrested three other co-accused in connection with an FCRA case it is probing against Talwar, officials here said.

The CBI arrested Tarun Kapoor, Pradeep Sood and Jatin Wadhera in connection with the case where Talwar's NGO, Advantage India stands accused of misusing fund worth Rs 90 crore, received as foreign contribution.

While the funds were marked for usage in social expenditure, the CBI had found that the funds were not spent for the declared purposes.

According to the CBI, these funds were shown as being spent on the purchase of equipment for social services, but no such expenditure could be traced.

Officials here said that Kapoor, Sood and Wadhera were owners or controllers of the companies where these funds were shown to have been spent.

The CBI had on Wednesday night arrested Yasmin Kapoor, a close aide of Talwar in connection with the same case.

In fact, according to the Enforcement Directorate, Yasmin Kapoor is a crucial link to establish how

Talwar and his associates laundered the kickback received through Advantage India in exchange for securing profitable air routes for several foreign private airlines.

In this separate case, the ED has alleged that Talwar was paid over Rs 280 crore in kickbacks through his NGO to secure profitable air routes for Qatar Airways, Air Arabia and Emirates.

Even in the CBI's FCRA case, the agency has alleged that french airplane manufacturer Airbus had paid 9 million Euros to Advantage India and UK-based missile manufacturer MBDA had also signed a similar deal to pay 6 million Euros to the NGO in the form of foreign contribution.

The CBI had earlier arrested and taken custody of Deepak Talwar in connection with a UPA-era aviation scam where he is alleged to have received kickbacks from foreign private airlines to secure profitable air routes for them.