All You Should Know About This 3600 Crore Rupees Scam
Do you all remember the famous scandal referred as Agusta Westland chopper scam or Chopper scam by elements of the media and popular press? In early 2013, an Indian national parliamentary investigation began into allegations of bribery and corruption involving several senior officials and a helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland surrounding the purchase of a new fleet of helicopters.
Why the need of Choppers?
In August 1999, IAF felt the need for the replacement of Mi-8 VIP helicopters as they were completing their total technical life. Also, they were unable to operate safely at night and in places with elevation beyond 2000 meters.
In February 2010, the ruling UPA government signed a contract to purchase 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters,for Indian Air Force for Rs 3,600-crore, these helicopters are intended to perform VVIP duties for the President of India and other important state officials.
IAF made a strong plea for a high altitude flying helicopter for areas like Siachen and the Tiger Hill. The key requirement for the helicopter was how high it could fly. Agusta Westland’s A-101 failed to make the list after flight evaluation–because it could not fly at 18, 000 feet and above. It could fly lower to around 3,000 feet of the requirement.
SP Tyagi’s connection
In January 2004, the Air Force insisted on keeping height at 6ooo m as anything less would cut off VVIP helicopters from traveling from Leh valley to Srinagar which involves crossing Zoji La Pass as well as the Siachen glacier. This view changed when Air Field Marshal SP Tyagi became the chief and agreed to the reduced height norm. Also, the quantity of helicopters proposed for procurement was revised from 8 to 12 helicopters by adding 4 helicopters in non-VIP configuration for security reasons.
CBI, in a report on its investigation, said the IAF had been “opposing vehemently” any suggestion of lowering the altitude requirement before SP Tyagi became the IAF chief. After Tyagi took over, the “Air Force conceded to reduce” the height requirement, allowing AgustaWestland to re-enter the bidding process.
In February 2013, the government decided to put on hold the deal following the arrest of chairman of Finmeccanica Giuseppe Orsi and CEO of Agusta Westland Bruno Spagnolini on charges that they bribed middlemen to secure the deal with IAF.
In 2014, the Congress-led UPA government cancelled the VVIP chopper deal with AgustaWestland on grounds that the integrity pact was violated. The government has recovered most of the money paid to the Italian company for the contract.
On 9th of December 2016, former chief of air Shashindra Pal Tyagi (2004-2009) was arrested by CBI in the Rs 3,600 crore Agusta Westland VVIP choppers deal. 71-year old Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning at CBI Headquarters along with Khaitan and Sanjeev Tyagi. These are the first arrests in the case by CBI which came three years after it registered an FIR in 2013.