VVIP Chopper deal: Open NBW issued against UK national accused

[Hindustani78]

Written by Ritu Sarin | New Delhi | Published:March 4, 2017 3:40 am

Also under the scanner is the case against Suresh Nanda and Income Tax officer Ashutosh Verma in which the latter was allegedly given bribes by the arms dealer for “diluting” a report against him.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/arms-dealer-suresh-nanda-under-ed-scanner-4553426/


Veterans of the Indian arms trade are now facing the heat from investigating agencies again. After Sudhir Choudhrie, it is the turn of Suresh Nanda who has turned up for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate three times over the past few weeks and is due to appear before the agency again.


Nanda confirmed the development to The Indian Express.

As reported on November 4, 2016, the ED had first initiated financial inquiries into 52 firms owned by Choudhrie and officials from his Delhi office are understood to be currently appearing before the agency.

Now, sources said, following reports of Choudhrie and his son Bhanu Choudhrie being listed as beneficiaries of several off-shore companies in the Panama Papers, the Ministry of Defence has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the connections.

The ED has begun “active” investigations of a 2011 Delhi court order in the Soltam guns upgrade case in which the judge has agreed to close the case with the proviso that the Directorate should now probe the receipt of commissions by Sudhir Choudhrie.

While the order for a ED probe in the Soltam case came in 2011, it is only now that the matter is being seriously examined. This comes just months after the agency in October 2015, sent summons to his flagship firm, MITCO, asking for ownership and financial details of all 52 India-based companies in which Sudhir Choudhrie and his wife, Anita Choudhrie have a connection.

Both Sudhir Choudhrie and Suresh Nanda had been named in the 2006 Barak missile case which has since been closed by the CBI. While Choudhrie shifted his base to London that year, Nanda now mostly lives in Dubai. Speaking to The Indian Express from there, he admitted that he had repeatedly been summoned to the ED office and had appeared each time. “I am cooperating with them but I am puzzled what this is all about. They have been questioning me about old cases which have been closed by the CBI and sort of asking my whole life history. They appear to be on a fishing expedition.”

Senior ED officials said that old FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) cases against Nanda were being examined. The officials said that investigations are also being conducted on alleged financial links between Nanda and a Kolkata-based builder and a Delhi-based aviation consultant who were recently raided by the Income Tax department.


Also under the scanner is the case against Suresh Nanda and Income Tax officer Ashutosh Verma in which the latter was allegedly given bribes by the arms dealer for “diluting” a report against him. While the ED also joined investigations in the case in 2012, the CBI filed a chargesheet only against Verma but eventually not against Nanda.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://zeenews.india.com/india/vvip...sses-plea-to-probe-role-of-media_1985182.html

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a PIL seeking an SIT probe into the role of media in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam case, saying it is an "attack" on media's independence.

"We will not direct any investigation against the media unless there is a direct involvement," a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said, while rejecting the PIL filed by veteran journalist Hari Jaisingh.

It seems there is a disguised attempt to curtail independence and freedom of media, the bench said, adding "this is an attack on media. We will not entertain this."

"We cannot curtail the right of the media in this manner. Media has been given an independent status in our democratic polity. Why should we entertain this," said the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and Mohan M Shantanagoudar.

The court, however, clarified that if the investigative agencies come across evidence with regard to involvement of certain individuals then they are free to probe.

However, there cannot be an investigation into the role of media as a whole, it said.

Senior advocate Geeta Luthra, appearing for Singh, alleged that some members of the media where bribed by the offshore chopper firm to influence the decision making authority in favour of the VVIP helicopter deal.

"I am seeking a direction to the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate to also investigate the role of media persons in the case," she said.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre, sought dimissal of the plea at the threshold saying how can there be an investigation into the role of media when there is an allegation that two persons entered into the "media management agreement".

Considering the arguments, the bench asked, "Is this agreement registered. What is the admissibility of the agreement as evidence."

"Freedom of media is going to be curtailed and smothered.... We will not entertain this."

The journalist in his PIL alleged that some media persons were bribed and extended unwarranted benefits in exchange for favouring the VVIP chopper deal.

It was also alleged that certain journalist were sent to Italy along with their families by the company in question.

The apex court had on January 3 this year agreed to hear

the PIL for a court-monitored probe by CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in the AgustaWestland helicopter scam case and the allegation that some media persons took bribes from foreign arms dealers in connection with the deal.

The plea had said that the agencies, CBI and ED, which have been probing the case, be also asked to submit a report to the court in a sealed cover stating the status of investigating.

It has also sought "setting up of a Commission of Inquiry under the stewardship of a retired judge of this court, or any other eminent person which this court deems fit" to probe the allegations that some media persons indulged in corrupt practices.

The PIL had alleged that "Finmeccanica (parent company of AgustaWestland) had invited a group of Indian journalists on a fully paid for trip to Italy".

The plea had referred to the judgement of the Milan Court of Appeals and said the role of a "middleman/agent who acted on behalf of AgustaWestland emerged".

It said an individual stationed in New Delhi and acting as the representative of AgustaWestland in India was specifically tasked with acting as a "facilitator" to ensure "smooth disbursement of funds allocated for managing key Indian officials and several influential members of Indian media".

It had also sought a direction to the Centre to seek affidavits of "financial disclosures from the members of the media who have received funding and hospitality from foreign and domestic defence and other ancillary industries, and to make public this information and submit to the court on affidavit whether on these sums taxes have been paid or not".

The Cabinet Committee on Security in 2010 had cleared a proposal to acquire 12 helicopters for the use of VVIPS after a long process that involved change in some parameters, evaluations and negotiations and these helicopters were to be used by the Communication Squadron of the air force. The chopper deal was later cancelled.


First Published: Friday, March 10, 2017 - 14:30

 

[Hindustani78]

New Delhi, September 01, 2017 18:19 IST
Updated: September 01, 2017 18:19 IST

Former Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi. A file photo. | Photo Credit: PTI
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...chief-tyagi/article19603564.ece?homepage=true

The charge sheet filed before Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar also named the others
The CBI on Friday in a Delhi court filed a charge sheet against former IAF Chief S.P. Tyagi and nine others in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case.

The charge sheet filed before Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar also named the others, including Tyagi’s cousin Sanjeev alias Julie and advocate Gautam Khaitan in the ₹450 crore chopper deal bribery case.

CBI had alleged that Mr. Khaitan was the “brain” behind how the bribe money reached India, how several firms, through which the money travelled, came into existence and that Sanjeev was known to alleged European middleman Carlo Gerosa.

The 71-year old Tyagi, who had retired in 2007, his cousin Mr. Sanjeev and Mr. Khaitan were arrested on December 9 by the agency in connection with the case. They are currently on bail.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/632980/ed-files-supplementary-charge-sheet.html

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today chargesheeted a woman director of two Dubai-based firms and the companies in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP choppers money laundering case.

In the supplementary charge sheet filed before Additional Sessions Judge Arvind Kumar, the ED named Shivani Saxena as an "active" director of Dubai-based M/S UHY Saxena and M/S Matrix Holdings.

Both the companies have also been chargesheeted by the agency in the charge sheet under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore paid by the firm for securing the deal.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/636225/vvip-choppers-european-middleman-held.html

Wanted European middleman Carlos Gerosa has been apprehended by authorities in Italy on the basis of an Interpol notice activated by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case.

The central probe agency, official sources said, will soon move for his extradition to India through diplomatic channels.

"Gerosa has been held in Italy few days back on the basis of an Interpol notice activated by the ED last year. The global police has informed the agency of his detention and an extradition request is being moved," a senior official privy to the probe said.

The official said Gerosa was held when he was coming from Switzerland to Italy.

A joint team of the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is now working on this case, the official said.

Gerosa, 70, is one of the three alleged middlemen wanted in this case and his interrogation and statement is very important for both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI who are probing the case.

The ED has notified a Interpol red corner notice (RCN) against Gerosa and two others--British national Christian Michel James and Italian Guido Haschke--last year.

An RCN, according to the Interpol, is issued "to seek the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action" in a criminal case probe.

The ED, in its second charge sheet filed in the case last year, had said the three middlemen "managed to" make inroads into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in order to influence and subvert its stand regarding reducing the service ceiling of helicopters from 6,000 m to 4,500 m in 2005 after which AgustaWestland became eligible to supply the dozen helicopters for VVIP flying duties.

Service ceiling is the altitude at which a helicopter can fly.

It had said investigations found that remittances made by Michel through his Dubai-based firm Ms Global Services, FZE to a media firm he floated in Delhi, along with two Indians, were made from the funds which he got from Ms AgustaWestland SpA through "criminal activity" and corruption being done in the chopper deal that led to subsequent generation of proceeds of crime.

The ED's probe under the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) had found that AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini was allegedly paying "kickbacks" to Michel and the other two middlemen (Gerosa and Haschke) in the guise of numerous "consultancy contracts".

Michel alone received Euro 30 million in his Dubai company accounts and others under this arrangement, according to the investigation.

The agency has also detected that the media firm floated by Michel in Delhi was nothing but a "shell company" to "launder the proceeds of crime".

The probe in the deal gathered pace last year after a Milan-based court sentenced Italian defence and aerospace major Finmeccanica's former chief Giuseppe Orsi and Spagnolini on corruption charges in the sale of the helicopters to India.

The Milan court order also mentions the name of former IAF chief S P Tyagi at several points.

Post this, both the ED and the CBI, had conducted fresh round of questioning of the accused and collection of further evidence.

The ED had registered a PMLA case in this regard in 2014 and named 21 people, including Tyagi, in its FIR in the money laundering case. It had also arrested Delhi-based businessman Gautam Khaitan in the case apart from a director of a Dubai- based company, Shivani Saxena, recently.

On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore by it for securing the deal.

The ED and the CBI have also issued Letters Rogatory to multiple countries to gather more leads and evidence in this case.

Letters Rogatory are requests issued by courts on the request of an investigation agency when it wants information from another country.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...director-in-a-report/articleshow/61063531.cms

NEW DELHI: During the negotiations between AgustaWestland and Indian government for supply of 12 VVIP choppers, the former Commercial Director of its parent company Finmeccanica - Paolo Pozzessere wrote a report titled "Note on the Mission in India", in which he stated that "the Tyagi family supports us in the VVIP programmes", while referring to SP Tyagi and his family as "high level lobby" and "opinion maker" (in India).

Referring to cousins of SP Tyagi - Sanjeev, Rajeev and Sandeep Tyagi, Pozzessere wrote that 'the family owns' ex-Marshal of the Indian Air Force and in particular the 'VVIP' programme is confirmed (in favour of AgustaWestland) and the contract would be signed within the next three-four months.

In its chargesheet filed on September 1 against former Indian air force chief S P Tyagi, former air vice chief - retired Air Marshal J S Gujral and seven others including European middlemen Christian Michel, CBI has stated that Pozzessere wrote this report on September 25, 2009.

The probe confirmed that the VVIP chopper contract was indeed signed after around four months of writing this note - on February 8, 2010.

The agency says that this note was written around the time when S P Tyagi was retired from air force and had continued his association with officials of Finmeccanica. In fact, visiting cards of officers of Finmeccanica - including its General Manager Giorgio Zappa, were recovered from SP Tyagi's house during raids in 2013.


CBI chargesheet says that Zappa first met Tyagi at his office on February 15, 2005, soon after he became the Air force chief through middleman Guido Haschke and during the meeting, they discussed the problem of operating ceiling of AW-101 helicopters. Another representative of AgustaWestland - commercial executive Renzo Lunardi met SP Tyagi in January 2006 at the residence of his cousins. Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, two other European middlemen chargesheeted by CBI, are known to Tyagi family since 1995, says CBI in its chargesheet.

CBI probe has found that crucial Indian Air Force and ministry of defence reached AgustaWestland officials regularly. "UK based middleman Christian Michel had sent three confidential documents - Revised Operational Requirement (OR) of 2006, Evaluation Report of AgustaWestland rival bidder in the deal Sikorsky S-92 helicopter, and contents of the Technical Committee report dated February 2007 belonging to Indian air force to Bruno Spagnolini (then CEO of AgustaWestland), Giuseppe Orsi (then chief of Finmeccanica), one Giacomino Saporaro, Haschke and others. "Michel was having contacts in MoD and IAF and therefore, he procured confidential documents and secret information which he used to send time to time," says CBI chargesheet.

Not just that, "Michel also got information about file movement of MoD/IAF files, including cabinet committee on security (CCS) meetings with regard to instant helicopter procurement which was also sent by him to these persons from time to time," says CBI chargesheet.

CBI says that "Christian Michel told AgustaWestland office bearers that he was trying to disqualify the competition at a stage so that bids of M/s Sikorsky are not opened".

Detailing the kickback amounts received and used by SP Tyagi, CBI chargesheet says that UK based middleman Christian Michel was paid 42.27 million euros (around 350 crores) by AgustaWestland for paying as kickbacks to Indian officials.

S P Tyagi, CBI says, when he was chief of air staff, bought 19 acres of land in Haryana in his name and in the name of his family members for which Rs 1.49 crore were paid, out of which over Rs 49 lakh were paid in cash. The former IAF chief didn't inform air force about this purchase as mandated in the rules. Subsequently, he had financial collaborations of 50% with his cousins and an amount of Rs 1.75 crores was deposited by S P Tyagi in the account
of a company Krishnom - owned by them.

(This article was originally published in The Times of India)

 

[Hindustani78]

An AgustaWestland helicopter. | Photo Credit: PTI

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/agustawestland-scam-fresh-searches-by-cbi/article19969104.ece


The Central Bureau of Investigation conducted searches against three suspects in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case and seized about Rs. 85 lakh in cash. Jewellery worth over Rs.1 crore were also found in two lockers.

According to the agency, the searches were carried out in Delhi against Sunil Kothari, who is the managing director of Om Metals Pvt. Ltd; and on the premises of one N.K. Jain of Abhinandan Vanijya Pvt. Ltd and his associate Rajesh Jain in Kolkata.

The agency has accused them of laundering the proceeds of crime, which they got in cash from the middlemen, through shell companies. The money purportedly came from Sanjeev Tyagi, who is the cousin of former Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi, and lawyer Gautam Khaitan.

“The searches were conducted at Kothari’s official premises in Delhi’s Pushp Vihar and two residential premises in Sainik Farms. While Rs.55.68 lakh in cash was seized from him, the CBI team found jewellery worth Rs.60 lakh and Rs.2 lakh in cash in his wife’s locker. In his daughter-in-law’s locker, gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs.49 lakh were found,” said an official.

The CBI claims to have seized Rs.29 lakh in cash from the premises of N.K. Jain. In all, six lockers have been identified during the searches.

“It was alleged that the then Chief of Air Staff (S.P. Tyagi) entered into a criminal conspiracy with the other accused persons and conceded to change the Air Force’s consistent stand that service ceiling of VVIP helicopters should be 6,000 metres. The ceiling was brought down to 4,500 metres, which helped AgustaWestland bid for the contract,” said the official.

The CBI alleges that besides the reduction in service ceiling, a new operational requirement for the cabin height of at least 1.8 metres was introduced for the first time. Requirement with regards to the number of engines was also tweaked without assigning any reason.

On September 1, the agency had filed a charge sheet against the retired Air Chief Marshal, former Air Marshal J.S. Gujral and 10 others.

Among those named were Sanjeev Tyagi, Khaitan, alleged middlemen Christian Michel, Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke, former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini and former Finmeccanica chairman Giuseppe Orsi, besides Italian company Finmeccanica, its subsidiary AgustaWestland and IDS Tunisia.

The charge sheet alleges that the chopper deal caused a loss of 398.21 million euros (about ₹2,666 crore) to the exchequer.

The CBI has now approached Italian authorities requesting Gerosa’s extradition. The alleged middleman was recently detained by the Italian Police on the Enforcement Directorate’s request.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...a-authority/article24847325.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi, September 02, 2018 14:58 IST
Updated: September 02, 2018 15:38 IST

Official sources said the Enforcement Directorate will now move to seize these properties and put up its possession signages at these locations.

A designated Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) authority has held that 41 properties worth about Rs 1,210 crore, attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the name of absconding diamond jeweller and his associated firms, are money laundering assets and ordered that their attachment should continue.

The central probe agency had provisionally attached 15 flats and 17 office premises in Mumbai, a mall in Kolkata, a four-acre farm house in Alibaug and 231 acres of land at locations like Nashik, Nagpur, Panvel in Maharashtra and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu, in February this year under the PMLA in connection with the about $2 billion alleged fraud at a Mumbai-based branch of the Punjab National Bank (PNB).

“Considering the material in the original complaint (by the ED).. I find that immovable properties provisionally attached are all involved in money laundering. I, therefore, hereby confirm the attachment of properties...and order that the said attachment shall continue during investigation for a period not exceeding ninety days or the pendency of proceedings relating to any offence under the PMLA before a court and become final after an order of confiscation is passed by the special court,” a recent order issued by Member (Law) of the Adjudicating Authority of the PMLA, Tushar V Shah, said in a recent order.

Seized assets

The Authority is a quasi-judicial body that adjudicates over PMLA attachment of assets made by the ED. Official sources said the ED will now move to seize these properties and put up its possession signages at these locations. The central-probe agency had issued a provisional order for attachment of these assets as part of its criminal probe against absconding diamond jeweller , his company Gitanjali Gems Limited and associated firms and their associates, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The attached assets included a 170-acre park in Hyderabad’s Ranga Reddy district valued at over Rs 500 crore. Four flats in Borivali (east) area of the Maharashtra capital and nine others in Khemu Towers in Santacruz (east) have also been attached as part of the action.

“The total value of the 41 seized assets controlled by absconding diamond jeweller is estimated over Rs 1,210 crore,” the ED had said.

Absconding diamond jeweller and designer diamond jewellery businessmen and others are being investigated by the ED and other probe agencies after the bank fraud came to light early this year, following a complaint by the PNB that they allegedly cheated the nationalised bank to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each to probe the case. Both Absconding diamond jeweller and designer diamond jewellery businessman left the country before criminal cases were lodged against them. They had denied any wrongdoing. Absconding diamond jeweller is at present based in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and India has sought his extradition from that country.

The ED is investigating if the allegedly defrauded bank funds were laundered and proceeds of crime were subsequently used by the accused to create illegal assets and black money.

 

[Hindustani78]

Middleman in AgustaWestland chopper deal case to be extradited, orders UAE court

Michel, a British national, is wanted in India for allegedly organising bribes in exchange for a 2007 contract for VVIP helicopters for the purchase of 12 luxury helicopters for use by top leaders, including the President, Prime Minister and former prime ministers.
india Updated: Sep 19, 2018 00:15 IST
Hindustan Times, New Delhi

A court in United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ordered the extradition of an alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland chopper deal , according to officials familiar with the development.

Michel, a British national, is wanted in India for allegedly organising bribes in exchange for a 2007 contract for VVIP helicopters for the purchase of 12 luxury helicopters for use by top leaders, including the President, Prime Minister and former prime ministers. He was detailed in UAE this June and granted bail the following month.

“The court order, which is in Arabic, is being translated at the moment. The exact reasons for the court agreeing to extradite Michel are not know yet, but the order is for his extradition,” said a senior government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. It was not clear whether Michel could appeal against the extradition order. The Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were jointly involved in the bid to extradite Michel, who was one of the key accused in the case.

The CBI investigators have long suspected that Michel was the conduit for routing bribe money to political contacts in India. There were two other middlemen in the deal who influenced the bureaucrats to swing the deal in favour AgustaWestland, they have said.

A CBI spokesperson was not available for comments.

An agreement with AgustaWestland to supply 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to ferry VVIP passengers. The deal was cancelled in 2014 over bribery allegations.

In September last year, the CBI had filed a charge sheeted against former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi and eight others — Tyagi’s cousin Sanjeev alias Julie, Infotech legal advisor Gautam Khaitan, former Air Force vice-chief JS Gujral, former AgustaWestland chief executive officer Bruno Spagnolini, former Finmeccanica chairman Giuseppe Orsi and alleged middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Guido Haschke and Christian Michel — in the case.

Three companies — Finmeccanica, its UK-based subsidiary AgustaWestland, and Mohali-based IDS Infotech — were also charged.

The ED is probing the money-laundering aspect of the case and charged 34 Indians, foreign nationals and companies this July. “ED’s investigation revealed that the kickbacks were paid by AgustaWestland for bagging the VVIP chopper deal in India through two different channels. One channel was handled by middleman Christian Michel James and the other channel was handled by Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke,” an ED official told Hindustan Times in July on the condition of anonymity.

 

[Hindustani78]

Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, September 19, 2018 22:39 IST
Updated: September 20, 2018 01:07 IST
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/michel-hiding-in-uae/article24988635.ece?homepage=true


No court order has been issued for his extradition

Christian Michel, the British ‘middleman’ who is wanted in the ₹3,700-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case, has reportedly gone into hiding in the United Arab Emirates. He is currently out on bail.

“He is hiding somewhere in Dubai and is wanted by the legal system…he has not contacted me,” lawyer Amal Alsubei told The Hindu on phone from the UAE. She had represented Mr. Michel for seeking bail in the extradition case in July.

There is no UAE court order for Mr. Michel’s extradition, as reported on Wednesday in The Hindu as well as other media outlets.

However, when asked about the “extradition” at a press briefing on Wednesday, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad termed it a positive development.

India has not yet received information from Dubai on any development in the proceedings. A government source said: “We have learnt that on August 26 or 27, the UAE government asked the court there whether the UAE can extradite citizen of a third country to another country. It is our understanding that on September 2, the court gave its observations to the UAE government.”

“So, what is going around in the digital world is not the decision of the court, but the observation of the court of UAE meant for the UAE authorities,” said a source.

What led to the initial confusion was a four-page note in Arabic, which turned out to be a communication between the court and the government of UAE, on the possibility of extraditing a citizen of a third country to another requesting country.

Ms. Alsubei said once the court allows India’s request, Mr. Michel would have to appeal to the Court of Cassation — the highest court in the UAE judicial system — to seek an interim relief.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...tland-probe/story-Bg7rjYCN7qWXmNXh2F2MQM.html

When British national first figured on the radar of the Indian investigation agencies in connection with the AgustaWestland chopper deal in 2013, at least Indian intelligence operatives were not surprised.

Christian Michel’s father, Wolfgang Michel, was “well known” to Indian intelligence operatives, especially from the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the country’s external intelligence agency.

Old-timers in R&AW recall how Wolfgang Michel was “handled” at the level of R&AW chief. The elder Michel developed deep ties with political actors in the 80s and 90s.

“Wolfgang Michel was often used to gather information about arms deal negotiated by India’s enemies as he, too, was involved in the arms business. Christian Michel inherited most of his business contacts. But later the relations between the father and son soured and the elder Michel told few friends that his son will ruin whatever he had earned in his life,” a former intelligence officer said.


Indian investigators have alleged that three middlemen — played a key role in the swinging the deal in favour of AgustaWestland.

“two EU middlemen handled the bureaucrats and British national was a conduit for bribing political contacts. We believe that he was paid around 42 million Euros by Agusta to get the deal,” said a senior investigator.

Investigators, who, too, probed the case suspected that British national firm, Global Trade and Commerce, was paid around 18 million Euros by AgustaWestland to buy back 10 helicopters that the UK had sold as part of an aid programme in the 1980s.

Nine of these choppers were sent back to the UK in 2000. The central agency believes that British national extradition is key to unravelling the mystery behind bribe to political personalities.

“The agency is preparing its supplementary charge sheet in the Agusta case, which will focus on the political bribes in the case,” said another investigator.

********

A court has not ordered the extradition of a key middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper scandal, but has not ruled it out despite him being a British national, two Indian officials with knowledge of the matter clarified on Wednesday.

A final decision in the case is pending, they added.

Indian officials believed on Tuesday night that the court had ordered British national extradition. But a copy of the court’s remarks, written in the script, showed on Wednesday that it had only expressed an opinion in the matter after the local government asked whether British national, could be extradited to a third country, according to an official who asked not to be named.

“The court’s opinion, says the possibility of British national being extradited to India cannot be ruled out. It is not an order clearing extradition of British national.

The opinion has been made available to us through informal channels,” another government official said on the condition of anonymity.

British national, who is alleged to have been a middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore deal for 12 VVIP choppers, was detained by authorities following an extradition request by India in June this year. He was later released on bail pending court proceedings. Cancelled the chopper deal after bribery allegations surfaced in 2014.

India has not received any official communication from authorities relating to British national extradition, the second official said. “However, in the light of fresh news reports about his extradition being granted by a court, Indian mission urged the authorities to provide them with details of new developments that they might have,” he added.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, which alleged that British national routed bribe money to political contacts , said it had not received any formal communication on British national extradition. Both the CBI and Enforcement Directorate filed charge sheets against British national and several others in connection with the case.



************

France supplied SA - 330L Puma helicopters to Pakistan Army in 1977, GHN- 45 Guns from Austria and EH 101 helicopter from Britian in 1980.


The Pakistan Army has been using Pumas for transportation of army personal, food and equipment to Siachen. The Siachen glacier is the highest battleground on earth. Pakistan maintains permanent military presence in the region at a height of over 6,000 metres.

SA 330L Puma - Pakistan - Army Aviation

Royal Thai Marine Corps 155mm GH45

The UK Royal Navy Merlin medium lift helicopter is a variant of the EH101 helicopter developed by AgustaWestland (formerly EH Industries).

The helicopter’s primary roles are anti-surface ship and submarine warfare, tracking and surveillance, amphibious operations, and search and rescue missions. It will operate from Type 22 and Type 23 Class frigates, Invincible Class aircraft carriers and various amphibious warfare ships and land bases.

The six helicopters are expected to be ready for operations in Afghanistan from 2009.

Entry into service for the upgraded helicopter in the mk2 platform is planned for 2012 and the first flight is scheduled in late 2010. Thales UK was awarded the contract for upgrades to the acoustic processing suite in July 2006. Galileo Avionica is to supply new mission managements systems, under a contract awarded in March 2007.

Merlin has the capacity to carry up to four homing torpedoes, such as the BAE Systems Stingray torpedoes or mk11 depth bombs. The anti-surface version is able to carry a range of air-to-surface missiles, including sea-skimming anti-ship missiles. There are optional gun positions through removable windows, the starboard cargo door and the port crew door.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...ta-choppers/article25017196.ece?homepage=true

‘No corruption in sale of Agusta choppers’

NEW DELHI , September 22, 2018 22:13 IST
Updated: September 22, 2018 22:15 IST

Court says no evidence of graft

The court of second appeal found no conclusive evidence of corruption with a foreign public official in the 2010 sale of helicopters by AgustaWestland, according to a document released earlier this week, Reuters has reported.

The document, which explains the reasons given by the judges for acquittal of former CEO of Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini on 8 January, came out more than eight months after the court order.

“There is, conclusively, no evidence of the corrective agreement stipulated according to the imputation, with the foreign public official, just as it requires the incriminating law ....,” said the 322-page document as quoted by the news agency.


No impact on ED probe

Asked about any possible fallout on the cases being pursued in India, a senior ED official said the findings of the court would not have any bearing on the ongoing investigations.

“We have to study the conclusions to determine on what grounds the order was passed and whether all the evidence was taken into consideration. The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Directorate have filed charge sheets in the criminal and money-laundering cases, based on the proof of alleged corruption. It is for the court here to weigh-up the evidence,” said the official.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...andari-case/article25074537.ece?homepage=true
Police await evidence necessary to file charge sheet against arms dealer for more than a year

The Delhi Police have been waiting for more than a year for a report from the Forensic Science Laboratory, Rohini, to file a chargesheet against arms dealer and initiate extradition proceedings, said a police officer on Friday.

Arms dealer was booked by the Delhi police under the Official Secrets Act in October 2016 after Income Tax officials recovered a set of “sensitive” documents from his Defence Colony residence in April that year.

In London
Arms dealer left the country soon after an FIR was registered. At present, he is staying in London. “The case was registered against the arms dealer in October 2016 and was transferred to the Crime Branch for investigation. We are following the standard procedure and have alerted all authorities concerned about the accused,” said the police officer.

Recently, at a press conference, referred to Arms dealer alleged closeness with British Military, police officer also said that, during the police raid at Arms dealer residence, several secret defence documents were recovered.

“We seized computers, mobile phones and other electronic storage devices during the raid. It was all sent to the FSL for examination. We have been waiting for the forensic report for more than a year to finalise the case. We recently communicated to FSL officials to submit the report at the earliest,” said a police officer.

Red notice
The officer said that arms dealer has already been declared a proclaimed offender and a Red Corner Notice has been issued against Arms dealer. “Arms dealer passport has been revoked by the authorities and Look Out Circulars have been issued against him,” the officer added.

 

[Hindustani78]

AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal: Middleman extradited to India

NEW DELHI, December 04, 2018 21:24 IST
Updated: December 04, 2018 21:28 IST


One of three middlemen through whom bribe money of €30 million was routed to India.


a British middleman who is wanted in the alleged AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal bribery case, was sent back to India on Tuesday.

Court cleared extradition last month, according to local reports and diplomatic sources.

Reported that British middleman had been taken to the International Airport to be extradited.

Last month, after the Court of Cassation upheld a lower court’s order for the extradition, British middleman had been kept under detention with the Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, said the report.

British middleman is alleged to be one of three middlemen through whom bribe money of €30 million was routed to India and other countries for inducing public servants into swinging the deal for supply of attack choppers in AgustaWestland’s favour.

The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate have alleged that 30 million euros were routed through the British middleman. Therefore, middleman also faces money laundering charge.

The Indian authorities had lodged the extradition request with the Public Prosecution in February 2017. British middleman was subsequently arrested by the Police and release on bail. The lower and appeal courts allowed the request, which was challenged in the Court of Cassation. However, British middleman contentions were again rejected.

According to Indian agencies, British middleman had entered into an agreement with AgustaWestland in March, 2010, to “advise and assist” in the deal. British middleman was initially offered 42 million euros, but the amount was later scaled down to 30 million euros.

Investigations led to identification of Global Services FZE of British middleman, S.M. Seven Holdings Limited LLB and another company Global Trade & Commerce (UK). Global Services had allegedly received funds from AgustaWestland.

It is alleged that to route the funds, British middleman had also floated a shell firm through a local contact in 2005. British middleman had undertaken as many as 300 trips between 1997 and 2013. British middleman flew back the last time, days before the CBI registered a case to probe the alleged scam.

In 2017-18, the agencies filed charge sheets against several persons, including retired Air Chief Marshal , his cousins, former Air Marshal , lawyer , British middleman and two other alleged middlemen, former AgustaWestland CEO and former Finmeccanica chairman.

Italian company Finmeccanica, its subsidiary AgustaWestland and IDS were also named in the charge sheets, alleging that the scam had caused a loss of about Rs.2,666 crore to the exchequer.

 

[Hindustani78]

Delhi , September 07, 2019 14:58 IST
Updated: September 07, 2019 15:00 IST
Special Judge Arvind Kumar rejected Michel’s applications saying there was no sufficient ground to grant the relief
A Delhi court on Saturday dismissed the bail applications of alleged middleman Christian Michel who was arrested in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar rejected Michel’s applications in cases filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying there was no sufficient ground to grant the relief.

Michel, extradited from Dubai, was arrested by the ED on December 22 last year.

On January 5 this year, he was sent to judicial custody in the ED case. He is also lodged in judicial custody in another case registered by the CBI in connection with the scam.

Michel is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the ED and the CBI. The other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.