AgustaWestland scam: CBI chargesheet against ex-Defence Secretary SK Sharma

New Delhi, Mar 16: Former Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and four Indian Air Force personnel are likely to face CBI prosecution in the Rs 3,700-crore AgustaWestland scam.

The probe agency has filed the charge sheet after getting the nod from the government to prosecute Sharma, who was the Defence Secretary between 2011 and 2013 before being appointed the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The central probe agency has also named the then Air Vice Marshal Jasbir Singh Panesar (now retired), deputy chief test pilot S A Kunte, the then Wing Commander Thomas Mathew and Group Captain N Santosh, they said.

Kunte and Santosh retired as air commodores. The alleged scam relates to the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland.

Sharma was Joint Secretary (Air) in the Defence Ministry between 2003 and 2007 and went on to become Defence Secretary in 2011-13 and auditor (2013-2017).