|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| . |  |
. |
|
|
|
 by Staff Writers New Delhi (AFP) Sept 24, 2015
A Delhi court on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant for the arrest of British consultant Christian Michel James over a scandal-hit deal with Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland to supply helicopters to India. India suspended the deal in 2013 after Italian investigators began looking into accusations AgustaWestland paid bribes to win the contract for 12 helicopters intended for use by the prime minister and other VIPs. "We had moved the court requesting for an open NBW (non-bailable warrant) against the accused who is a London-based consultant," an official at India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told AFP. "The court accepted our request today and issued the warrant," he said. Italian prosecutors suspect kickbacks worth about 10 percent of the deal -- 50 million euros ($67.6 million) -- were paid to Indian officials to swing the deal in favour of AgustaWestland. The Italian boss of AgustaWestland's parent company Finmeccanica was arrested in 2013 over the 556 million-euro deal -- setting off a firestorm in India. The Press Trust of India said the CBI was seeking the custody of James -- one of 13 main accused in the case -- as the key link who managed political parties and players in Italy as well as in India. In a submission before special court Judge Ajay Kumar Jain, prosecutors said custodial examination of James was "essential" as it would reveal his role in procuring the helicopters and help identify other accomplices, the news agency reported. The CBI earlier sent summons for James, whose whereabouts are not known although local media reports said he was likely to be in Dubai. Indian detectives also raided the home of former air force chief S.P. Tyagi in 2013 as they investigated allegations of bribery. Tyagi and Finmeccanica have denied any wrongdoing. India has already received three of the helicopters, intended to be used by such dignitaries as the prime minister and the president, but delivery of the remaining nine was scrapped. The deal was signed under India's previous Congress-led government led by Manmohan Singh.
Related Links The Military Industrial Complex at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service. |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Google
