Cong accuses Modi govt for naming Sonia Gandhi in AgustaWestland case

The Congress party on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government in the Centre and its agencies had forced AgustaWestland accused Christian Michel to sign a false confession, naming UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Two days ago, Christian Michael was arrested in Dubai for AgustaWestland case. Now, his advocate Rosemary Patrizi clearly states that Modi government and its agencies were forcing Christian Michael to sign false confession naming Sonia Gandhi ji."

"The ED and the CBI have turned into dirty trick departments of BJP," Sujewala said while attacking the BJP-led central government.

The Congress' presser on this issue comes a day ahead of the no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government in Lok Sabha.

On Wednesday, Michel, a middleman in the VVIP chopper scam, was arrested in Dubai.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a fresh charge sheet in the Delhi court accusing former AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica directors Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini and ex-IAF chief SP Tyagi of money laundering in the VVIP chopper bribery scam case.

The charge sheet, filed before special judge Arvind Kumar in the Patiala House Court will be taken up for consideration on July 20.

The investigation conducted and various documents collected so far revealed that Agusta Westland International Ltd., U.K. paid an amount of Euro 58 million as kickbacks through Gordian Services Sarl, Tunisia and IDS Sarl, Tunisia.

These companies further siphoned off the said money in the name of consultancy contracts to the Interstellar Technologies Ltd., Mauritius and others, which were further transferred to UHY Saxena, Dubai, Matrix Holdings Ltd. Dubai and others.