Raman govt floated tender in shady manner: Prashant Bhushan

Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan address a press conference regarding the AgustaWestland scam in New Delhi. (Photo: Bunny Smith)

Seeking to drag the BJP into the VVIP helicopter row, Swaraj Abhiyan on Thursday accused the Chhattisgarh government of floating a global tender in a “shady manner” to purchase a specific AgustaWestland helicopter by paying over 30 per cent commission without exploring options.

While addressing a press conference here, Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav accused the Raman Singh government in the state of paying $1.57 million as commission to a company registered in the tax haven of the British Virgin Islands to procure the helicopter. They also sought to link Mr Raman Singh’s son to the controversy, saying Abhishek Singh formed a company called Quest Heights Ltd on July 3, 2008, almost six months after the bulk of the payment was made by the state government to Sharp Ocean, an agent company. They (Swaraj Abhiyan leaders) sought an enquiry into the deal finalised by the state government by a former judge to be recommended by the CJI. “It was pretended that the (state) government floated a global tender, while it was (specifically) written in the tender which model was to be purchased. And the bids interestingly were received from AgustaWestland, its commission agent and its service provider itself. And based on that the contract was finalised,” Mr Bhushan said.

He added, “The contract invoice shows the cost of the helicopter was only $5.1 million, which was paid to AgustaWestland, and a $1.57-million commission was given to commission agent Sharp Ocean based in the British Virgin Islands.”

“Amazingly, within three days, a meeting took place between representatives of one OSS, supposedly the service provider of AgustaWestland helicopters, in which it made a presentation to the government about the Agusta 109 helicopter and made an offer to supply this helicopter at $6.31 million,” Mr Bhushan said.

He alleged the discussion was followed by “some correspondence” with the company, which told the Chhattisgarh government that if it was to buy a helicopter directly from AgustaWestland, then it would have to wait for more than two years and, therefore, it should deal with its dealer/distributor Sharp Ocean based in Hong Kong.

He said the company is registered in the British Virgin Islands, which may be able to supply a pre-sold helicopter earlier.