AgustaWestland scam: CBI files chargesheet against former Defence Secretary SK Sharma

CBI charged former Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and former Air Vice Marshal Jasbir Singh Panesar on Wednesday in the AgustaWestland case involving corruption in purchasing the VVIP helicopters. 

The Defence Ministry gave its clearance. The CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet in the Rs 3,200 crore case, mentioning Shashi Kant Sharma and four other senior Indian Air Force officials as accused.

While in Defence Ministry, Sharma was Joint Secretary (Air) between 2003 and 2007, and in 2011-13 he became Defence Secretary, later in 2013- 17, he was an auditor. 

The agency has also requested permission to prosecute SA Kunte, Deputy Chief Testing Pilot, Thomas Mathew, Wing Commander IAF and Group Captain N Santosh. 

The case involves alleged bribery to secure a deal for AugustaWestland to provide 12 VVIP choppers for key leaders in India, including the President, Prime Minister and others. 

Agusta-Westland allegedly beat the contract despite being ineligible because its helicopters did not meet the Indian Air Force's 6,000-meter operational ceiling parameter.

In 2016, CBI's Special Investigation Team tookover the case and filed the first chargesheet against former Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi and 11 others on September 1, 2017. 

The CBI has alleged that the former Air Chief is accused of recommending a reduction in the operational ceiling of the choppers despite objections to helping AgustaWestland. 

The CBI has alleged that Air Chief Marshal Tyagi did this on the bidding of Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland's chief executive, who engaged the services of three middlemen, named Christian Michel, Guido Haschke and Carlos Gerosa.

Christian Michel was extradited to India in 2018. He is currently in the Tihar jail.

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