ANALYSIS
Tyagi says every decision on AgustaWestland was vetted and approved by Dr Manmohan Singh’s PMO
How high up the political tree did the bribes in the Rs. 3,564 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal travel? The short answer: likely to the very top.
Former Air Force Chief, Shashindra Pal Tyagi, currently in CBI custody, has said as much following his arrest. His counsel told the court: “It was not an individual decision. It was a collective decision of which the PMO was also a part. The file moved along so many officers – none of them have been arraigned (in the case) as accused.”
The CBI says Tyagi was appointed chief of air staff on October 31, 2004. He took charge officially on December 31, 2004. These were the early months of the Congress-led UPA government, back in power after a gap of eight years.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) under Dr Manmohan Singh was bustling with energy and ideas. Defence deals, infrastructure projects, work on the Commonwealth Games, planning for a big telecom spectrum sale, coal mine allocations — all jostled for attention.
Ministers, bureaucrats, and Armed Forces officers soon cast a beady eye on the new VVIP chopper deal. The technical specifications for the 12 helicopters were changed to suit one company: AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of the Italian firm Finmeccanica.
The CBI told the court earlier this week: “In a meeting held on April 1, 2005 in which the defence secretary and other stakeholders took part, it was laid down that helicopters should be twin-engine. Later, at the insistence of SP Tyagi, when the OR (operational requirement) was put up, ‘at least’ was added before ‘twin engine’ by the IAF. It got approved. To make the entry possible, ‘at least’ was added. Otherwise AgustaWestland was not eligible to participate.”
No large defence deal in India moves an inch without a nod from the top. There are four tiers of decision-making that make up this pyramid: the armed forces; the bureaucracy in the ministry of defence (MoD); the PMO; and the High Command.
Tyagi says every decision on AgustaWestland was vetted and approved by Dr Manmohan Singh’s PMO. The buck stopped at the PMO after ricocheting off 10 Janpath where UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi sits imperiously. Little escapes her notice. AgustaWestland, whose choppers were being bought to ferry VVIPs like her, would not have.
When reducing the operational flying height ceiling requirement for the helicopters from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres, the PMO would have been fully in the loop. The Indian Air Force has a longstanding requirement that such helicopters must be able to fly up to 6,000 metres. Reducing the height to 4,500 metres should have raised an immediate red flag in the PMO.
The CBI is now likely to question Dr Manmohan Singh and former PMO officials, including Dr Singh’s principal secretary TKA Nair and then National Security Advisor (NSA) M.K. Narayanan. The CBI should add Shashi Kant Sharma to the list of those it will interrogate. Sharma was director-general (acquisitions) in the defence ministry during the crucial 2007-10 period when the AgustaWestland deal was finalised. Interestingly, he was given the plum post of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) by the UPA government in 2013.
Those who follow the media closely would have noticed a rash of articles and television debates on the AgustaWestland deal. These mushroomed when Italian prosecutors levelled allegations of bribe-giving against senior executives of Finmeccanica in the Indian VVIP chopper deal by its subsidiary AgustaWestland.
When the prosecution of senior executives in Italy became public, the CBI was compelled to register an FIR in 2013 to probe the allegations. These pointed to corruption at the highest levels in India’s political, bureaucratic and military establishment.
The sudden spate of newspaper reports and television debates in April 2016 after an Italian court found top Finmeccanica officials guilty of bribery drew attention to the six million euro (Rs. 45 crore) “media management” budget run by middleman Christian Michel. The money was allegedly used to pay Indian journalists – the infamous “Agusta Patrakars” – to write airbrushed PR-driven stories about the AgustaWestland deal.
Meanwhile what of Dr Manmohan Singh? Whether or not his questioning by the CBI indicts the UPA’s PMO, moral culpability clearly rests with him and the High Command to which he paid obeisance.
“Leaders and governments at no point can abdicate responsibility. Most policy decisions carry risks of unintended consequences. It is important to deftly balance these risks with the potential benefits of such decisions.”
The author of those stirring words? Dr Manmohan Singh in an article in The Hindu last Friday (December 9) criticising the handling of demonetization by his successor, Narendra Modi.
The same words — “Leaders at no point can abdicate responsibility” — will echo loudly in his ears when he negotiates, in silence, with his conscience.
The writer is author of The New Clash of Civilizations: How The Contest Between America, China, India and Islam Will Shape Our Century (Rupa, 2014).
Two fall prey to Narayana Murthy and Mukesh Ambani's deepfake videos, lose Rs 80 lakh: Report
North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles toward sea ahead of US election
Deepika Padukone romances Hrithik Roshan in Bikini, looks sizzling hot in UNSEEN viral video
Chhath Puja 2024: Top 50 wishes, What'sApp messages, quotes to share with your loved ones
Meet Caroline Emmons, Ratan Tata's 'first love' with whom he couldn't marry due to...
Who is Rohan Jaitley, frontrunner to replace Jay Shah as BCCI secretary?
World’s most expensive human tooth is valued over Rs 3000000, it belonged to…
Viral video: Little girl’s adorable dance to Lisa Haydon’s 'Manali Trance' impresses internet, watch
SC to deliver its verdict on pleas against Allahabad HC order scrapping UP madrasa law today
DNA TV Show: Why Election Commission changed Assembly by-elections' dates
Days after imposing fine on Anil Ambani, Sebi now issues Rs 130 crore demand notices to...
Thailand announces indefinite visa-free entry for Indian travellers
Meet daughter of billionaire, who studied in UK, now works in Rs 32770 crore Indian company as...
MUDA case: Lokayukta police summon Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for questioning on...
This city is 4000 years old, belongs to bronze age where 500 people lived, it is located in...
Kamala Harris has been the President of US before? Here's when and how
Meet son-in-law of billionaire whose net worth is Rs 38690 crore, he co-founded...
What is elimination inflammation diet that helped Vidya Balan lose weight?
Shah Rukh Khan feels breathless after quitting smoking: Know withdrawal symptoms, how to manage them
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal takes action on vendor for mislabelling mushrooms at Hyperpure warehouse
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance shares fell by 3%, loses Rs 50205 crore in one day due to...
IAF's MiG-29 crashes near Agra in Uttar Pradesh, pilot ejects safely, court of inquiry ordered
Driving Growth and Monetization at Zendesk: A Conversation with Darshit Thakkar
Can air pollution make you fat? Know how high AQI impact your health
Locanto Addresses Challenges and Innovations in Indian Education System
Nita Ambani stuns in floral co-ord set while Anant, Mukesh Ambani go casual in Dubai
Indian Railway to launch this 'SUPER APP', passengers can now..., know details here
Who is Rashmi Shukla, IPS officer whom EC removed as Maharashtra DGP?
This village in India allows men to have two wives, living under one roof due to…
AUS vs PAK, 1st ODI: Australia beat Pakistan by 2 wickets to take 1-0 lead in series
Singham Again’s sole aim is to entertain, it’s not Hindutva propaganda
Delhi pollution: 'Why firecracker ban was not implemented during Diwali,' SC asks police, govt
IPL 2025 mega auction likely to be held in Riyadh on these dates
Big update on Reliance Jio IPO as Mukesh Ambani eyes THIS date
EC reschedules UP, Punjab, Kerala bypolls from Nov 13 to...
Coldplay's Chris Martin falls through stage trap door while performing live in Australia
Meet man, who is rising star in Tata Group after Ratan Tata's death, now tasked with...
'Nice handwriting': Internet reacts to Elon Musk's physics homework from his college days
AIIMS INI CET 2025 admit card releasing today at aiimsexams.ac.in; when and how to download
Sustainability Meets Innovation via uPVC: Industry expert shares experience
Promoting innovation in engineering education
AP TET 2024 exam result declared at aptet.apcfss.in; steps to check
AI-Powered Development: Insights from industry leaders on transforming software engineering
Another BIG move by BSNL, now set to provide tough competition to Jio, Airtel, Vi by...
Uttarakhand Bus Accident: 36 dead after bus falls into gorge in Almora; rescue operations underway
Bigg Boss 18: Vivian D'Sena accuses Chahat Pandey of pooping on floor, latter loses her cool
One of India's best wicketkeepers set to retire after this season, won't play IPL too, he is...
Research shows awe-inspiring details about Black Holes, they can...
US Presidential Election 2024: Harris vs Trump goes down to the wire, say polls
AP TET 2024 exam result to be declared today on aptet.apcfss.in, when and how to check
Shampoo, tea, biscuits, oil to get costlier soon? FMCG firms caution price hike as...
Swiggy fined Rs 35000 for duping Hyderabad customer by doing THIS
Delhi pollution: Air quality in Delhi-NCR further deteriorates, AQI hits 'severe' level
Indian mission condemns attack on Hindu devotees at Canada temple by ‘anti-India’ elements
'Upar se leke neeche tak...': Bigg Boss 18's Kashish Kapoor, Eisha Singh get into ugly spat
Man grows 500 kg pumpkin, uses it as boat to sail 70 km, SEE PIC
Devotees at Banke Bihari Temple drink AC water believing it to be 'Charan Amrit'; WATCH viral video
Bank Holidays in November: Banks to remain closed for four days in THESE states, full list here