AgustaWestland: HC to hear CBI plea against bail to Tyagi on April 12

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday posted for April 12 hearing on a plea of the CBI seeking cancellation of bail to former IAF Chief S.P. Tyagi, his cousin and a lawyer in the AgustaWestland chopper deal case.

Justice I.S. Mehta will hear arguments on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)'s plea for bail cancellation on April 12.

The CBI had approached the High Court challenging the December 26, 2016 order of a trial court that granted bail to Tyagi.

The former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief was arrested on December 9, 2016.

The CBI has also sought cancellation of bail to Sanjeev Tyagi, cousin of the former IAF chief, and Gautam Khaitan, a Delhi-based lawyer. The two were granted bail on January 4 by the trial court.

Tyagi -- the first chief of any wing of the armed forces to be arrested in the country -- and two others were allegedly involved in irregularities in the procurement of 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from Britain-based AgustaWestland.

He was the IAF chief from 2004 to 2007.

The CBI has alleged that Tyagi and the other accused received kickbacks from AgustaWestland and helped the manufacturer win the $530-million contract.

The 12 choppers were for the Communication Squadron of the Indian Air Force for ferrying the President, Prime Minister and other VVIPs.

The probe agency said that the company was favoured in lieu of illegal gratification accepted through different companies in the name of consultancy services.

An FIR was registered against the accused on March 12, 2013, on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

--IANS

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