This, even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are still probing the case in India.
A Milan appeals court on Wednesday sentenced the Italian defence firm Finmeccanica's former chief Giuseppe Orsi to jail for four years and former CEO of Finmeccanica's UK-based helicopter subsidiary AgustaWestland for corruption in a deal to sell 12 VVIP choppers to India in 2013.
This, even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are still probing the case in India.
The ED has booked former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, SP Tyagi and his relatives along with four other European nationals and firms - Finmeccanica, AugustaWestland besides Chandigarh- based IDS Infotech and Aeromatrix, and two companies based in Mauritius and Tunisia whose names figured in the CBI complaint. While Tyagi, his cousins and others are, according to the complaint involved in taking kickbacks worth Rs423 crore to award the deal, ED has booked five properties in Delhi and nearby that belonged to him and his relatives.
Reacting to the sentencing of Italian executives, former air vice marshal Kapil Kak said, "There was incontrovertible evidence against the two. The law has caught up with them." "Unfortunately, our agencies CBI and ED could never gather enough evidence despite their being too many of them as comes out if you see how the Italians have followed the case," he added.
Tyagi, who has been strongly rejecting the charge, couldn't be reached for a fresh reaction despite repeated attempts.
The contract for 12 AW-101 AugustaWestland choppers was signed in February, 2010.
Subsequently, in 2011 and 2012, a total of three helicopters were delivered and about 30 percent of the money was paid before allegations surfaced in 2013 of Finmeccanica paying bribe to secure the contract. Following allegations of corruption, India junked the contract in January, 2014.
The three choppers are still with India and remain unpacked even as officials in the Ministry of Defence here claimed that "the entire Rs 1,818 crore paid to the firm was recovered through bank guarantees"
A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report tabled in Parliament in August, 2013 said that the MoD bent rules for the purchase of VVIP helicopters, worth Rs3,727 crore from the Italian firm.
It also questioned the Air Head Quarters for failing to prepare a proper estimates of the requirement.
Finmeccanica and its subsidiaries remain blacklisted in India post the corruption charge. This has resulted in obstructing a few other acquisitions for the Indian Armed Forces for the contracts involving Finmeccanica's group companies. Meanwhile, the two executives will go for an appeal against the Milan court order.
India junked contract in 2014
The contract for 12 AW-101 AugustaWestland choppers was signed in February, 2010.
Subsequently, in 2011 and 2012, a total of three helicopters were delivered and about 30 per cent of the money was paid before allegations surfaced in 2013 of Finmeccanica paying bribe to secure the contract. Following allegations of corruption, India junked the contract in January, 2014.
The three choppers are still with India and remain unpacked even as officials in the Ministry of Defence here claimed that "the entire Rs 1,818 crore paid to the firm was recovered through bank guarantees"
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