CBI questions ex-SPG officers, Ex-Def Ministry official

CBI has recorded the statements of three senior officers allegedly involved in the purchase of AgustaWestland VVIP helicopters which came under the scanner of the agency following allegations of corruption.
CBI sources said former Secretary (Security) at the Cabinet Secretariat Sudhir Kumar, former Inspector General SPG N Ramachandran who retired as DGP Meghalaya and former Special Secretary (Acquisition) in the Defence Ministry H C Gupta were examined by the agency as part of its probe.
Kumar was Secretary (Security) during 2004-05, the sources said.
The Secretary (Security) looks after the administration of Special Protection Group (SPG), responsible for closely monitoring the security arrangements of the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and members of their immediate families in India and abroad.

The sources said these officers were examined as witnesses in connection with the probe into allegations of bribery in the Rs 3600-crore VVIP Chopper deal.
A case was registered by CBI against former IAF chief S P Tyagi and 12 others, including his cousins, for alleged cheating, corruption and criminal conspiracy in the helicopter deal in which Rs 360 crore is alleged to have been paid as kickbacks.

The former IAF chief has refuted the allegations against him.
The allegation against the former Air Chief is that he reduced the height of the VVIP helicopters so that AgustaWestland could be included in the bids.

The decision was taken in consultation with the Special Protection Group and other top officials of the Prime Minister's Office but the agency did not get permission to question either M K Narayanan or B V Wanchoo who are now Governors of West Bengal and Goa respectively.
While Narayanan was the National Security Adviser, Wancho had been the head of SPG at the time.