CBI seeks Prez nod to examine Governors' in chopper deal

After the refusal by Law Ministry, the CBI has now approached President's office seeking permission to record as witness the statements of Governors M K Narayanan and B V Wanchoo in connection with the probe into the VVIP helicopter deal.

Highly-placed sources said permission has been sought from President Pranab Mukherjee's office to record statements of West Bengal Governor Narayanan, who was the National Security Advisor, and his Goa counterpart Wanchoo, who was the head of elite Special Protection Group (SPG) guarding the Prime Minister.

The sources said the agency has made it clear that the two Constitutional functionaries would be approached as witnesses for recording their statements in the case.

The move comes against the backdrop of Law Ministry rejecting the plea of the CBI to quiz the two on the ground that they enjoyed constitutional immunity.

The CBI had sought permission to record their statement as part of its probe into alleged Rs 360 crore bribe in the deal that was scrapped by the government last month.

Seeking recording of their statements, the CBI has said Wanchoo and Narayanan had participated in the meeting in 2005 that allowed key changes in the technical specifications.

The sources said the CBI had sought permission also on the ground that the President was the appointing authority of of the Governors. The President may take opinion of the legal experts before allowing the agency to record the statement, the sources feel.