CBI tracks 28 mn euro bribe paid in Agusta deal
MONEY ROUTE Politicians got bribes through channel opened by Michel and bureaucrats were paid from one operated by two others
NEW DELHI: Bribes to the tune of around 14 million euros were channelled through alleged middleman Christian Michel to powerful politicians in India to swing the VVIP chopper deal in favour of AgustaWestland and a set of bureaucrats also got another 14 million euros through two other middleman in the scam, CBI sources told Hindustan Times.
“Bribes in the AgustaWestland deal were routed through two channels. The politicians got bribes through the channel opened by Christian Michel and bribes to bureaucrats and other brokers were paid from the channel operated by two other middlemen — Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke,” a CBI official said on condition of anonymity.
The official said CBI will file its first chargesheet within the stipulated 60 days, counted from the day of the first arrest.
The CBI made first arrests — of former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie, and lawyer Gautam Khaitan — on December 9 on the charges of receiving and facilitating bribes in the `3,727-crore deal to buy 12 AgustaWestland choppers for ferrying senior Politicians got 14 million euros through channel opened by Christian Michel
Bribes to bureaucrats and other brokers were paid from channel operated by Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke Michel-operated channel got 30 mn euros while Haschke and Gerosa got 28 mn euros ED says Haschke and Gerosa
government dignitaries.
“We have tracked the route of bribe money that went through both the channels. Micheloperated channel got around 30 million euros as commission and out of which around 14 million euros were paid to politicians to clinch the deal in favour of AgustaWestland.
“The second channel operated through Gerosa and Haschke routed another 14 million euros for bureaucrats and other brokers as part of the commission from the deal,” said the official.
The CBI investigation revealed that Haschke and Gerosa in all got 28 million euros from the Italy-based Finmeccanica, the parent company of AgustaWestland.
As far as SP Tyagi and his paid at least 10.5 lakh euros to Sanjeev Tyagi, Sandeep Tyagi and Rajiv Tyagi
Payment of 4,05,625 euros was made through banking channel to the Tyagi brothers between 2004 and March 2011 Remaining 6,44,975 euros (around `4.5 crore) was paid in cash between April 2011 and December 2011
cousins are concerned, the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money laundering part of the scam, has formally charged that Haschke and Gerosa through their companies — Gordian Services Sarl and IDS (both registered in Tunisia) paid at least 10.5 lakh euros to Sanjeev Tyagi, Sandeep Tyagi and Rajiv Tyagi (cousins of SP Tyagi).
The ED probe found that the payment of 4,05,625 euros (around `2.49 crore) was made through banking channel to the Tyagi brothers between 2004 and March, 2011 and remaining payment of 6,44,975 euros (around `4.5 crore) was made in cash between April, 2011 to December, 2011.
The Tyagis have denied the charges.