Augusta: Charges filed against Rajiv, Michel and others
Ex- defence secy not named as accused in VVIP copter scam
New Delhi: The CBI has filed a supplementary chargesheet in the multicrore AgustaWestland helicopter deal case against 15 persons. It details the role played by British national and alleged middleman in the deal, Christian Michel James, Rajiv Saxena and others in delivering bribes to politicians, bureaucrats and IAF officials. Former defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma has not named him as an accused yet. This supplementary chargesheet was filed in the court of a special CBI judge in New Delhi.
The CBI has filed a supplementary chargesheet in the multi- crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal case. The latest chargesheet, filed against 15 persons, details the role played by British national and alleged middleman in the deal, Christian Michel James, Rajiv Saxena and others in delivering bribes to politicians, bureaucrats and Indian Air Force
( IAF) officials.
The chargesheet was filed before special judge Arvind Kumar in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court, who listed the matter for consideration on September 21. Sources said the agency, which recently sought sanction from the concerned authorities to prosecute former defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma, has not named him as an accused since the request is not granted yet. The agency told the court that it may file another supplementary chargesheet in the matter later.
The first charge- sheet in the case was filed in September 2017 naming former IAF Chief S. P. Tyagi and others. Besides, the second chargesheet doesn’t name any politicians also.
Michel, the alleged middleman and accused in the ` 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case, was extradited from the UAE in December 2018. He is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with alleged irregularities in the multi- crore chopper deal. While the CBI is probing his alleged role as a “middleman” in the deal, the ED is investigating money laundering charges against him. Rajeev Saxena, a Dubaibased businessman, was also extradited from the UAE in January last year.