After Days of Questioning, Bribe Trail to SP Tyagi Eludes Agencies

CBI and ED are yet to crack the bribe money trails, sources say.

AgustaWestland scam. (Illustration by The Quint)

On Thursday, ex-IAF chief SP Tyagi was questioned for the first time by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for over 10 hours. According to sources, the questioning focussed on the flow of bribe money in the AgustaWestland scam. Yet the ED has still not been able to crack how the bribe money reached Tyagi. It is investigating the money-laundering aspect, whereas the CBI is investigating the corruption case.

SP Tyagi’s questioning is not related to the Italian court judgement. He has been summoned because the investigation requires it. So far, we don’t have evidence to prove that the bribe money reached him.

Top Official, ED

Sources have also confirmed that Tyagi could have received the bribe money in the form of cash or black money, rather than through a bank transfer.

It is difficult to prove black money transactions until the one who made or received the payment confesses before investigators.

Senior Official, ED

The ED is investigating all five companies owned by SP Tyagi and their financial transactions. Tyagi has been questioned by the CBI over the last three days.

ED Questions SP Tyagi

The ED asked Tyagi about the source of funds behind the properties he purchased, which runs into several crores.

How did Tyagi manage to set up five companies in a short period after his retirement from the post of IAF chief in 2007? He set up his first consultancy company Krishnom with his brothers in 2010. During 2011-12, four more companies were started by Tyagi – Anuras Properties, Vanshi, Shavan Enterprise and Meghanshu Realtors.

The ED also probed Tyagi about any possible links between the payments worth 3.26 lakh euro made to his cousins as consultancy charges by a Tunisian firm, and his acceptance of the reduction in the height of the ceiling of the choppers in March 2005. The Tunisian firms were controlled by Haschke and Gerosa – the middlemen in the AgustaWestland case.

Tyagi was also questioned on the money he allegedly received as kickbacks. The Italian court order clearly stated that SP Tyagi and his cousins received a huge amount as bribe in the AgustaWestland scam. He was further interrogated about allegedly transferring the bribe amount to politicians.

Gautam Khaitan Accepted Payment From European Middlemen

CBI claimed that former board member of Aeromatrix, Gautam Khaitan has admitted to taking payments from Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, middlemen in the AgustaWestland Chopper deal, but rejected that it was part of any kickbacks. During searches some documents were found from the office and residence of Khaitan, suggesting that bribe money was transferred to Tyagi cousins.

He has agreed taking payment from European middlemen Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. However, we do not agree with the purpose he cited for the payment.

Official, CBI

On Thursday, Khaitan was questioned for about ten hours by the CBI. His alleged links with Italian middlemen Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschkhe were probed.

Agency sources said Tyagi’s cousins – Sandeep, Sanjeev, Rajeev – will be called in on Friday for questioning. The three brothers have been named in the CBI FIR.