The CBI is likely to examine West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan and his Goa counterpart BV Wanchoo as witnesses in connection with its probe in the VVIP chopper procurement scam.
The examination of the two Constitutional functionaries assumes significance as Wanchoo and Narayanan had participated in the meeting in 2005 that allowed key changes in the technical parameters which led to 12-Helicopter contract being clinched by AgustaWestland, agency sources said.
The agency has informed the law Ministry that there was no bar in examining serving Governors as witnesses.
The law Ministry had initially denied permission to prosecute the duo citing Constitutional provisions but sought to know the purpose for questioning them. They agency told the Ministry that it wanted to examine Wanchoo and Narayanan as witnesses, which has nothing to do with prosecution in the case.
Narayanan was National Security Adviser and Wanchoo was Director of elite Special Protection Group (SPG) when the attended the meeting in which the service ceiling of the helicopter was downgraded making AgustaWestland eligible for the contract.
The Rs 3,600 deal in which allegations of Rs 360-crore bribe were leveled, has been scrapped. Reduction of service ceiling--maximum height at which a helicopter can operate normally--allowed UK-based AgustaWestland to get into the fray as, otherwise its helicopters were not even qualified for submission of bids.