AgustaWestland probe: CBI mulls lie-detection test on some

As some suspects in the multi-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal case continue to remain evasive during questioning, the CBI is now contemplating conducting a lie-detection test on them to get certain leads pertaining to the money trail.

The CBI on Saturday examined cousins of former Indian Air Force Chief S.P. Tyagi — Sanjeev, Rajeev and Sandeep — for nearly eight hours at the agency’s headquarters here. The agency also questioned Gautam Khaitan, a Delhi-based lawyer and an accused in the case, on Saturday. The agency has now summoned IDS Infotech managing director Partap K. Aggarwal and Aeromatrix Info Solutions Pvt Ltd CEO Praveen Bakshi for examination on Monday. It is suspected that their firms were allegedly used to route bribe money in India.

As far as the question of the IAF chief is concerned, sources said that their interrogation revolved around accounts of IDS Tunisia and remittances received by it. Sources said some documents which Mr Khaitan was not carrying on Friday were brought by him. Sources claimed that Mr Khaitan was being evasive during questioning and “concealing” information. Mr Tyagi has also been called on Monday again for a fresh round of questioning. “If required, the agency may conduct lie-detection test on some suspects,” sources said.

Sources said Mr Aggarwal, Mr Bakshi and Mr Tyagi have been called after some new facts emerged during the questioning of the four accused on Saturday. Mr Sanjeev Tyagi has not denied his relations with European middlemen Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, saying that they knew him five to six years before the order was placed. He has said that the payments received by him were for power sector jobs which were all received through proper banking channels with income-tax paid on them.

The CBI had registered a case against the former IAF Chief, along with 13 others, including his cousins and European middlemen. The allegation against the former Air Chief was that he reduced the flying ceiling of the helicopter from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres (15,000 feet) which put AgustaWestland helicopters in the race for the deal without which its copters were not even qualified for submission of bids.