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Tyagi sent to CBI custody as blame game begins

BJP demands Rahul to disclose names of those who got bribe
Last Updated 10 December 2016, 18:56 IST

 As former Air Force chief S P Tyagi was sent to CBI custody for four days by a Delhi court on Saturday in the AugustaWestland scam, a political blame-game has begun on the issue.

While Congress leader K T S Tulsi questioned the timing of Tyagi’s arrest, the BJP went all out against the opposition party, demanding that Rahul Gandhi disclose the name of the UPA politician who received kickbacks in the Rs 3,600-crore deal.

Investigators have claimed that Tyagi, along with his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie Tyagi and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan, had allegedly received kickbacks to swing the deal in favour of the UK-based helicopter maker.

The first service chief — acting or retired — to be arrested, Tyagi was questioned for over four hours by the CBI on Friday before being produced in a court on Saturday.

The court also remanded Sanjeev Tyagi and Gautam Khaitan in four-day CBI custody. The CBI sought 10 days’ custody of Tyagi, his brother Sanjeev and lawyer Khaitan, arguing that it was a “very large conspiracy having international ramifications”.

However, the defence counsel opposed the plea citing that the case was registered three years ago and there was no fresh ground for the arrests.

Tyagi’s counsel said the decision to purchase the VVIP choppers was a “collective decision” and the then Prime Minister’s Office was also part of it. The counsel appearing for the other two accused also opposed the CBI’s remand. the CBI, however, alleged that Khaitan was the “brain” behind how the bribe money reached India and several firms through which the money travelled came into existence and Sanjeev was known to European middleman Carlo Gerosa. Noting that facts about Tyagi’s role were in the public domain for two years, Swaraj India leader Prashant Bhushan said, “Now, suddenly, he has been arrested since this whole fiasco of demonetisation.”

Bhushan said if the Centre was serious about weeding out corruption, then it should have launched an inquiry into deals signed by the Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments with AugustaWestland.

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha described Tyagi’s arrest as “unfortunate” and said it had dented the reputation of the Air Force.

“Very unfortunate that such an episode has taken place. It does dent our reputation as a professional force. But we believe in the rule of law,” Raha told the media in Kolkata.

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha: Very unfortunate that such an episode has taken place. It does dent our reputation as a professional force. But we believe in the rule of law

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(Published 10 December 2016, 18:55 IST)

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