Defence ministry gets contract between Agusta, middleman

The defence ministry has got the 'contract' between AgustaWestland and alleged middleman Christian Michel regarding the controversial VVIP helicopter Rs 3600-crore deal with India.

The 'contract' has been provided by the Anglo-Italian firm to suggest that there was no wrongdoing in the deal, sources told PTI.

The company has told the ministry that there was nothing to indicate that he and other people were hired by it for committing any wrong, the sources said.

Michel, a British national, along with Italian Guido Hashcke is alleged to have been hired by Finmeccanica, the parent company of AgustaWestland, to swing the deal in favour of the Anglo-Italian firm.

According to Italian prosecutors, kickbacks to the tune of Rs 362 crore were paid to swing the deal in favour of AgustaWestland.

Michel has been named in the FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the chopper scam along with former Indian Air Force chief S P Tyagi and his three cousins.

The firm has again told the ministry that there was no wrongdoing in the deal and there was no reason for the defence ministry to cancel the deal, they said.

The defence minister had ordered CBI probe into the deal on February 18 after the arrest of CEO of Finmeccanica Giuseppe Orsi and AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini by Italian investigators in connection with the case.