"Officials in PMO consulted before ceiling requirements of AgustaWestland were reduced"

New Delhi, May 3: The Central Bureau of Investigation which questioned former Air Chief, S P Tyagi for the second day has been trying to ascertain who influenced the decision to reduce altitude ceiling requirements for AgustaWestland.

This is a major part of the investigation as this was a deal was cancelled in 2002 as the chopper did not fulfil the requirements of flying at 6,000 metres.

However three years later the requirements were cut from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres. Tyagi was asked this repeatedly by the CBI and he denied having anything to do with the decision.

He in fact said that it was a decision taken collectively in consultation with officials in Prime Minister's office and the Special Protection Group.

I have done no wrong:
CBI officials tell OneIndia that during the course of the questioning, Tyagi was calm and repeatedly said that he had done no wrong. He has given us some details which we will corroborate once we call in his cousins the Tyagi brothers for questioning.

The officer also said that they were trying to ascertain who exactly motivated the decision to reduce the altitude ceiling requirements for AgustaWestland.

This was a major decision and it appears as though a decision had been taken by then that the deal rejected in 2002 would be swung in favour of AgustaWestland.

Tyagi however made it clear to the CBI that the decision to reduce the ceiling was taken by only a group of senior officials. It was done in consultation with the Special Protection Group and officials in the Prime Minister's office he also told the CBI.

As per the verdict of the Milan Appellate Court, Tyagi had met with several AgustaWestland officials. His cousins who were in touch with the middlemen are alleged to have helped swing the deal in favour of the company.

Further the court had also said that Tyagi was aware of the specification requirements and through his cousins informed AgustaWestland about the same. Tyagi however denied this when asked by the CBI.

During the questioning, the CBI also asked Tyagi if he had visited Milan in 2012. Further he was asked about the three companies through which money was routed in.

The CBI further sought to know if there were meetings between him and the two middle men. CBI sources say that he had allegedly met them around 6 times.

A visit to Venice and Milan in the year 2009 two years after his retirement is also under the scanner of the CBI.

The CBI asked Tyagi if he had visited these places alone or along with his two cousins or Tyagi brothers who are also accused in this case. According to the CBI the Tyagi brothers had been in touch with the middlemen since 2004 itself.

OneIndia News