VVIP chopper scam: Parrikar papers on AgustaWestland not to spare even 'clean' Antony

Stage is set for next round of battle between the government and the Opposition Congress on the issue of AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal kickbacks, no holds barred.

While the Congress announced that its leaders will march on Delhi streets and gherao Parliament on Friday, defence minister Manohar Parrikar will place records along with detailed chronology of the controversial deal before Parliament on Wednesday, when the issue comes up in Rajya Sabha for discussion. "I will place the detailed chronology...and how and when necessary clauses or provisions were relaxed to suit the company," Parrikar told reporters in Goa.

Anticipating further trouble, the government is now focusing on transaction of only the financial business, primarily related to the Union Budget, in Parliament next week, leaving out the Constitution Bill on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for the next monsoon session. 

Parrikar, in the last few days, has been busy preparing a case with the help of top defence officials to put Sonia Gandhi and her aides, including former defence minister AK Antony, in the box for protecting AgustaWestland despite the alleged irregularities in the Rs 3,600-crore deal becoming public in 2012. These officials are scanning more than 40 files, running into several hundred pages, and also assisting the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in clarifying the technicalities involved in the defence procurement procedure.

Government sources said that Parrikar has enough ammunition to question Congress on why the contract was not terminated in 2012, when the scam surfaced, instead of waiting till January 1, 2014. A dossier being prepared to nail Congress leaders also includes thorny questions for former defence minister AK Antony, over his role in delaying a CBI investigation. The matter was referred to the CBI only after the arrest of Giuseppe Orsi, chief executive and chairman of Finmeccanica, the Italy-based parent company of AgustaWestland and not when the scam had actually surfaced. Sources here said that even the ED was brought into picture only after the change in government at the Centre. The ED is probing how the bribe money reached the bribe-takers in India since it must have involved money laundering.

Ruling BJP sources said that while they have no doubt on the integrity of "Mr clean" AK Antony, the trail and timing of his actions do smack that he was under pressure from leaders of his party, the Congress, to overlook the wrong-doings. Sources said Antony had lost no time in February 2012 to raise a red flag over the alleged irregularities and hence Parrikar would question him why the "integrity clause" was not invoked immediately to cancel the deal and recover the money. He could have at least stopped the delivery of three helicopters by the company in November 2012.

The group of officials has also identified many "waivers" and "favours", as also bending of the terms of the contract, to ensure that it goes to AgustaWestland. The government is also treading carefully, not to mention any controversial decision leading to the contract signed in 2010, lest to cast any aspersion on President Pranab Mukherjee, who was the defence minister at that point of time. Parrikar has consulted finance minister Arun Jaitley and others as to whether he can at least refer to the irregularities committed by the defence ministry, without saying anything on the then political leadership of the ministry. 

Parrikar has again challenged the UPA leaders to show him the order blacklisting AgustaWestland. "Let them first answer why it was not banned. It was during our (NDA) government that we banned it," he said. Stating that those who have received kickbacks would not have left behind the proof, Parrikar said: "It is for us to prove everything now. Since the issue would be placed in Parliament, I would not like to speak in detail to media now."
Meanwhile, sources in the ministry of parliamentary affairs said the government now has little hope of the Opposition support in the passage of GST and other legislations in this session. The controversies, first on the President's rule in Uttarakhand and then on the judgment of Italy court on Agusta scam – that rocked both the Houses this week, have vitiated the atmosphere. Indications are that the session may be closed by Friday as demands for grants of various ministries are proposed to be guillotined on Thursday, while the last day will be utilised to pass the Appropriation and Finance Bills in the Lok Sabha.

Listed before the Rajya Sabha are discussions on the working of the ministries of health, human resources, finance, external affairs and micro, small and medium enterprises and returning of the Railways' second appropriation bill. Other government business included in the next week's agenda includes consideration of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015 in the Lok Sabha and Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill and the Indian Trusts Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha that have been already passed by the lower house.

Congress posers to Modi govt

1. Why was the Modi government protecting Agusta for the last two years as CBI/ED probe has reached no conclusion?

2. Why the company was permitted to be part of the PM's Make-in-India and in the Aero India 2015 expo in Bengaluru

3. Why the company was given permission by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board of Modi govt as recently vide PIB release of Oct 8, 2015, mentioning joint venture of Agusta at serial no.8?

4. Instead of claiming that the UPA govt could recover only part of bank guarantee, will the BJP president verify whether the UPA govt had recovered Rs 2,068 crore from Agusta as against payment of Rs 1,620 crore, besides confiscating three helicopters and encashed bank guarantees close to Rs 240 crore (Euro 228 million) by moving and winning the case in the court at Milan, Italy?

BJP posers to Sonia, Congress

1. Only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) can compete in the tender, but still Agusta was entertained. At whose instance violations in the tender conditions were allowed?

2. The then defence minister had permitted change in the field evolution trial clause. At whose instance did he compromise with the trial?

3. Why the govt did not put on hold the deal as soon as Italy media reported about the bribes instead of putting it hold only after arrests began in Italy? Who was responsible for this delay?

4. The Congress claimed that the UPA govt had recovered back all the bank guarantees of the Agusta, but the truth is that only a part of the money could be recovered. Why peddling such a lie and to protect whom?