The Central Bureau of Investigation’s Special Court on Wednesday granted bail to AgustaWestland accused Sanjeev Tyagi, who is former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi’s cousin, and lawyer Gautam Khaitan, ANI reported. The accused have been ordered not to contact any witnesses in the case and not to leave National Capital Region without permission.
Former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi was arrested with his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and Delhi lawyer Gautam Khaitan on December 9, 2016. However, he was granted bail on December 26. The Delhi High Court had issued a notice to him on December 30, based on a plea filed by the CBI, against the bail order. The agency is investigating SP Tyagi along with his associates and middleman Christian Michel in connection with the case.
In May 2016, the CBI had said two “suspicious” payments were made to accounts held by the former Air Force chief. The agency also learnt that SP Tyagi was an owner or shareholder in at least five different companies. He retired from his post in 2007.
In July 2016, the Centre had told the Supreme Court that a chargesheet in the case was likely to be filed by the end of the year. The AgustaWestland helicopter deal, which snowballed into a huge controversy, is related to an agreement signed in 2010 to buy 12 helicopters from the British-Italian firm. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government was in power at the time.
The deal was put on hold after Italy arrested the head of Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland’s parent company. The CBI had earlier registered a case against the former IAF chief and 13 others, including SP Tyagi’s three cousins and Michel.
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