Tyagi's 3 cousins under CBI, ED e-radar

Technological check begins to establish interactions

The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have started technological surveillance of former Air Chief S P Tyagi’s three cousins to establish their interactions with two key Swiss agents of AgustaWestland around the time of signing the Rs 3,600-crore VVIP helicopter deal in 2010.

The former air chief may have allegedly operated through his relatives, but the technological intelligence gathered by the investigating agencies does not show direct one-on-one interface with the key defence dealers, Guido Ralph Haschke, Carlo Gerosa and British national Christian Michel.

Sources said American Italian businessman Haschke, his secretary Nadia and aide Gerosa were communicating with Sanjeev Tyagi and Praveen Bakshi prior to and after signing the deal in February 2010 in which 51 million Euros was allegedly paid by AugustaWestland.

Between the three cousins, the former air chief appeared to have relied more on Sanjeev and Sandeep but the contents of their e-interactions were withheld by sources as the probe is continuing.

The sleuths are amazed at friendly interaction of a Bharatiya Janata Party MP with the cousins during the phase of increased activity leading to signing of the contract. The preliminary probe has also thrown up another AgustaWestland employee, Garavaglia’s, name. But, his involvement, if any, is being looked into, said agency sources.

The investigating agencies have also come across the fact that Haschke flew to Delhi in February 2012 to interact with his Indian contacts to work out a strategy for covering up paper trail and dodging investigators.

Around three months before his visit, Borgogni Lorenzo, a senior employee of Finmecanica, had unravelled the defence scam to Italians investigators during his questioning. Finmecanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi was later arrested but charges have not been pressed against him.

 The sources said the details of his telephone calls and visitors to the hotel are being trawled to find out his contacts other than those already identified by investigators.
The CBI has named 13 people in its FIR, filed on March 13, besides six companies including Italy-based Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland, Mohali-based IDS Infotech, Chandigarh-based Aeromatrix, IDS Tunisia and IDS Mauritius have also been named as accused.

The key players and the important venues, Switzerland, Tunisia and India, are indicated in the net weaved through tech inputs.