The proposed dropping of corruption charges by an Italian court against Finmeccanica, parent company of AgustaWestland that is embroiled in a corruption case here, would not affect the CBI probe in the case relating to the VVIP chopper scam.
Agency sources said the documents received from Milan have been translated from Italian into English after which investigators have concluded that dropping of charges is not going to affect the line of probe CBI is pursuing in the case.The CBI had sought a report on the status of the case in Italy following reports that the charges were being dropped against the Italian Defence conglomerate.
Finmeccanica had agreed to pay fine for ending the Italian prosecutor’s investigations into the deal with India with a caveat that it does not mean admission of allegations against the company.The CBI has named former IAF Chief S P Tyagi and 13 others, including the then Finmeccanica CEO, in connection with the `3600 crore helicopter deal with AgustaWestland. European middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Christian Michel and Guido Haschke have also been named in the CBI FIR.
The CBI awaiting responses to letters Rogatory from various countries after which it will file chargesheet in the case. While the CBI has enough materials to prove conspiracy, the agency has sought to establish the money trail of the bribe money through judicial requests, a source said.Italian agencies had arrested then CEO of AgustaWestland Giuseppe Orsi for alleged bribe given to Indian middlemen to clinch the deal. The supply of 12 VVIP helicopters had come under the scanner after Italian authorities alleged bribe money was given by the company to clinch the deal.