Facts to know about the key figures behind VVIP choppers scam

Before we mention the key figures behind the VVIP choppers scam, a brief look into how the deal came about. In 2010, a 560 million euro ($749.2 million) contract was awarded to Augusta Westland, one of Finmeccanica's subsidiary to supply VVIP choppers. The new choppers were being procured to replace the ageing Russian-made Mi-8 choppers. The first choppers were due to be delivered by December 2012 . India has already received three such choppers.An Italian daily ‘La Repubblica‘, reported that the deal was not fair , the Indian government officials changed terms and conditions of the deal in favour of the Italian company in exchange of kickbacks. Slush funds were generated and the money was allegedly used by a top Finmeccanica official to bribe Italian political parties.As result in 2012, Defence Minister AK Antony ordered a probe into allegations of kickbacks made against government officials involved in the deal. On February 12, Finmeccanica Chief Executive and Chairman Giuseppe Orsi was arrested by Italian prosecutors. for paying bribes to secure the chopper deal. The position of the Indian government is that it cannot immediately comment on the prosecution's stand, unless Italy shares the details of the probe. Finmeccanica Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Orsi and Ex- Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi have been formally named by Italian investigators as one of those to whom Finmeccanica, the parent company of Agusta Westland, paid bribes to swing the deal in favour of the company but Former IAF Chief has denied any involvement in the scam .He stated that the whole process started in 2010 and he had retired in 2007.Though the investigation is still on and the CBI and foreign agencies are probing kickbacks involved in the sale of choppers, three of the alleged middlemen hold the key to unravelling the details of the kickbacks : 1. Switzerland-based Guido Haschke,who has been operating in Indian market for years and used to be a director on the board of real estate firm Emaar MGF in the past. He was briefly arrested by Swiss authorities in connection with the ongoing investigations.2. Carlo Gerosa , a business partner of Haschke.3. Christian Michel , a UK resident with powerful political connections in India. He is believed to have handled 30 million euros of the kickbacks.His father Wolfgang Richard Max Michel too had deep Indian connections. He faces an arrest warrant in Switzerland,and is presently based in Dubai.According to transcripts of several secret recordings done by Italian investigators, the kickbacks may have been routed via Tunisia and Mauritius. And of the 51 million euro kickbacks,almost 30 million euro may have been paid to Michel,who is a confidante of Finmeccanica chief executive and chairman,Giuseppe Orsi.Names of several Indians too have emerged in the investigations, They are :1.Gautam Khaitan,a Delhi-based lawyer and legal advisor to Haschke and Gerosa.His name repeatedly figures in the conversations.He and Haschke were involved in promoting Aeromatrix,a Chandigarh-based firm which figures in the investigations2. Sanjeev Kumar Tyagi,a cousin of former air force chief Air Chief Marshal.He is known to be a flashy operator who lives in a farm house and operates out of New Delhi.

Facts to know about the key figures behind VVIP choppers scam

Before we mention the key figures behind the VVIP choppers scam, a brief look into how the deal came about. In 2010, a 560 million euro ($749.2 million) contract was awarded to Augusta Westland, one

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