New Delhi: A Delhi Court on Friday took cognisance on a supplementary chargesheet filed against alleged middleman British National Christian Michel, Businessman Rajeev Saxena and others, in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam case.
It is alleged that AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal was finalised during the United Progressive Alliance regime when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister but got mired in the allegations of kickbacks.
The AgustaWestland International Director G Saponaro and Sandeep Tyagi, a relative of former Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief SP Tyagi, have also been named as an accused in the chargesheet by the Investigating Agency.If Investigating Agency received sanction by Court then a fresh chargesheet may be filed in the case against some other accused person.
In this matter, Christian Michel who are alleged middleman and accused in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case was extradited from the UAE in December, 2018. He is now currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with the alleged irregularities in the multi-crore chopper deal.
Two Investigation Agencies-- Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Directorate of Enforcement(ED) --are proving their case against the accused persons while CBI is probing his alleged role as a middleman in the deal and ED is investigating Money Laundering charges provided under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act.Dubai-based businessman Rajeev Saxena was also extradited from the UAE in the month of January last year.
Prosecution has submitted before the court that there is sufficient material to proceed against the accused persons who are chargesheeted in the matter.Special Judge Arvind Kumar today after taking cognisance of the supplementary chargesheet issued summons to the then Director AugustaWestland International G Saponaro, Sandeep Tyagi,Rajeev Saxena and other accused persons and adjourned the matter for October 23 for further hearing.(UNI)
