The CBI on Friday filed a chargesheet in Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case against former Indian Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi and nine others.The agency submitted the chargesheet before special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge Arvind Kumar. Tyagi's cousin Sanjeev alias Julie and advocate Gautam Khaitan have also been named in the chargesheet which mentioned the latter as the "brain" behind the deal. "How the bribe money reached India, how several firms, through which the money travelled, came into existence and that Sanjeev was known to alleged European middleman Carlo Gerosa is mentioned in the chargesheet," an official said. Tyagi, who was Indian Air Force chief from 2004 to 2007, his brother Sanjeev and Khaitan were allegedly involved in irregularities in the procurement of 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from Britain-based AgustaWestland. They were arrested in December last year by the agency in connection with the case. The CBI, which registered an FIR in the case on March 12, 2013, has alleged that Tyagi and the other accused received kickbacks from AgustaWestland and helped the manufacturer win the $530 million contract. The FIR mentioned charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The 12 choppers were for the Communication Squadron of the Indian Air Force for ferrying the President, the Prime Minister and other VVIPs.The CBI said the company was favoured in lieu of illegal gratification accepted through different companies in the name of consultancy services.