CM Arvind Kejriwal questions Narendra Modi’s silence on copter deal

Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” on controversial AgustaWestland copter deal, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday wondered why CBI raids have not been conducted against Congress leaders in connection with the case. Mr Kejriwal asked whether those named in Italian court order should not be immediately arrested and interrogated.

“Why is the PM silent on Agusta First the BJP spared Vadra, now protecting entire Congress top brass in Augusta ,” the Delhi chief minister said on twitter, referring to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra. He also tweeted, “Shudn’t those named in Italy court order be immediately arrested n interrogated CBI raid had been conducted at me, but why there is no raid at Congress persons (sic).”

In December last year, the CBI had raided the office of Mr Kejriwal’s principal secretary Rajendra Kumar in connection with an alleged corruption case. Mr Kejriwal had then accused the PM of getting the CBI raid conducted at the Delhi Secretariat.

The controversial deal to buy VVIP choppers and the alleged bribes paid in clinching it have triggered a political storm after an Italian court cited hand-written references to Sonia Gandhi, her political secretary Ahmed Patel and former Air Chief S.P. Tyagi by a middleman in a judgement that convicted the helicopter company’s chief executive.