Raje govt sidelining tender rules to buy chopper: Pilot

In a fresh allegation against Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Congress state president Sachin Pilot today claimed that state government wants to purchase AgustaWestland chopper under a buy back scheme, sidelining the tender rules.
Demanding a high level inquiry in the tendering process, Pilot claimed that the Raje government has designed the tender conditions to benefit AgustaWestland.
CAG had pointed out financial irregularities in the helicopter purchase by the Vasundhara Raje-led Rajasthan government in 2005.
The report had mentioned Rs 1.14 crore misappropriations of funds in the helicopter deal. Now again, the chief minister wants to purchase AgustaWestland helicopter AW169 through a buy back scheme against the tender rules, alleged Pilot.

He said that the government has restricted the time limit to seven days for tender participation, which however should minimum, be of one month time.
Conditions designed in the tender process clearly indicate that only AW169 chopped can be purchased.
We have raised objection and demand fair participation in the tender process, said Pilot in a statement.
Earlier, Pilot had demanded expanding the scope of CBI probe in AgustaWestland chopped deal stating that as the state government had purchased one, why not this should be included in it.