VVIP chooper scam: CBI conducts fresh searches

The CBI has conducted searches at the premises of two businessmen in Delhi and Kolkata in connection with the multi-crore AgustaWestland scam.

The premises of Sunil Kothari and Narendra Kumar Jain were searched following allegations that they laundered the bribe money in the case through shell companies.

The CBI claimed that Kothari and Jain laundered the money brought in by former Air Force chief S P Tyagi's cousin Sanjeev and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan.

The searches were conducted at three places each in Delhi and Kolkata on October 31. These included Kothari's residence in south Delhi's Sainik Farms and M/s Om Metals Pvt Ltd in Delhi as well as Jain's residence in Kolkata and his office M/s Abhinandan Vanijya. A premise of Jain's associate Rajesh was also searched.

A CBI spokesperson said the agency has recovered Rs 55.68 lakh from Kothari's premises and Rs 29 lakh from Jain's premises, respectively.

The income tax department was informed about the cash recovery immediately.

The CBI had filed a chargesheet in the case on September 1 and named Tyagi among others. The agency said there was an estimated loss of 398.21 million Euros (around Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal signed by the UPA government in February 2010 for supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million Euros .

The CBI has informed the court that it has been able to establish money trail worth 62 million Euros (around Rs 415.40 crore) from countries like Mauritius, Singapore, the UAE, Tunisia, the UK and the British Virgin Island.