The time taken is largely because some of the key perpetrators of this misdeed are outside the country, MoD said in a statement.
The BJP and NDA government on Thursday continued its tirade against Congress in the Agusta chopper deal, including through non-party mediums.
In its first official response to the latest controversy on the chopper controversy, the ministry of defence (MoD), on Thursday, said that "the present government has taken effective action to bring out the truth and will leave no stone unturned in pursuing all means to bring to justice the corrupt and the wrong-doers in this case."
While underlining the facts, already in public domain, the MoD's stance concurred with the BJP's line of argument.
The time taken is largely because some of the key perpetrators of this misdeed are outside the country, MoD said in a statement.
"In certain quarters, questions have been raised on certain trivial technicalities, which appear to be intended to distract attention from the core issue of corruption," it said even as BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over the VVIP chopper scam and asked her to name those who received the 'kickbacks'.
"All I want to ask her is that those who gave bribe are in jail in Italy, then where are those who received the kickbacks? Who were in power at that time? They are responsible and they should bring out the truth. It should be disclosed before the people of the country," he said.
Congress has alleged that while the UPA blacklisted the firm, Modi government removed it from the list. But dna's review of documents, as reported on Wednesday, reveals that the UPA did put on hold all procurements from the firm, but never blacklisted it in the first place. In August 2014, the NDA government, however, through a modified policy allowed relaxation for the firm.
Responding to Congress accusation regarding clearance of a joint venture involving Agusta Westland by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board, the MoD said that "proposal was approved on September 2, 2011 based on an application by Indian Rotorcraft Ltd., a joint venture of Tata Sons with Agusta Westland NV, Netherlands. This was later changed to Agusta Westland SPA, Italy due to reorganisation within the group."
On February 7, 2012, an industrial licence for the manufacture of helicopters was granted by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion to Indian Rotorcraft Ltd. However, the validity of the licence has since expired, it pointed out. CBI and Enforcement Directorate are vigorously pursuing all aspects of the investigation, including the arrests and/or extradition of three foreign nationals and accused in the scam, Carlo Gerosa, Guido Haschke Ralph and Christian Michel James, MoD said.
Red Corner Notices were issued in December 2015 against them and in January 2016, through Interpol under Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Prevention of Corruption Act, extradition request has also been made for James.
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