Back आगस्तावेस्टलैण्ड हेलिकॉप्टर घोटाला Hindi ਹੈਲੀਕਾਪਟਰ ਘੁਟਾਲਾ (ਭਾਰਤ) Punjabi அகஸ்டா வெஸ்ட்லேண்ட் உலங்கூர்தி சர்ச்சை Tamil 2013 భారత హెలికాప్టర్ల కొనుగోలు కుంభకోణం Tegulu

2013 Indian helicopter bribery scandal

Not to be confused with Agusta scandal.
"Choppergate" redirects here. For the 2011 Nine News Queensland controversy, see Nine News Queensland § "Choppergate" controversy.
"Choppergate" redirects here. For the scandal involving Bronwyn Bishop commonly referred to as "Chopper-gate", see Bronwyn Bishop § Expenses controversy and resignation.

An Italian Navy AW101 which is the same model purchased under this deal

Also referred to as the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, the Indian helicopter bribery scandal by Congress led UPA Government refers to a multimillion-dollar corruption case in India, wherein money was paid to middlemen and Indian officials in 2006 and 2007 to purchase helicopters for high level politicians.[1] As per the CBI, this amounted to ₹2.5 billion (US$29 million), transferred through bank accounts in the UK and UAE.

It came to light in early 2013, when an Indian national parliamentary investigation began into allegations of bribery and corruption involving several senior officials and a helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland surrounding the purchase of a new fleet of helicopters. The scandal has been referred to as the Chopper scam or Choppergate by the media and popular press.[2] Several Indian Congress politicians and military officials were accused of accepting bribes from AgustaWestland in order to win the ₹3.6 billion (US$41 million) Indian contract for the supply of 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters; these helicopters are intended to perform VVIP duties for the President of India and other important state officials.[3] Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, is alleged by Italian prosecutors to have received kickbacks from the deal.[4]

A note presented in the Italian court, sent by middleman Christian Michel (who was extradited to India on 4 December 2018), asks Peter Hulett, an Agusta Westland employee, to target key advisors to Sonia Gandhi and lists their names as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel, Pranab Mukherjee, M. Veerappa Moily, Oscar Fernandes, M. K. Narayanan and Vinay Singh. The note also contains the bribes to be paid out, divided as "AF" €6 million, "BUR" €8.4 million, "Pol" €6 million and "AP" €3 million.[5][6][7] On 8 January 2018, the third Court of Appeals of Milan acquitted the defendants on all charges[8] Abhay Tyagi was also accused to have received kickbacks worth ₹69,00,000.

The case continues to be investigated in India by the Indian government and the CBI.[1]

  1. ^ a b "CBI gets Michel custody: Bank linked to payoff taken over, account details are missing". The Indian Express. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  2. ^ "SEARCH RESULTS FOR Choppergate". India Today. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  3. ^ Kumar, Vinay (18 February 2013). "Chopper scam: Long-drawn legal battle ahead". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  4. ^ "Does AP mean Ahmed Patel, asks prosecutor in Italy court; middleman says don't know". The Indian Express. 10 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Sonia Gandhi, PM tainted by chopper scam as note reveals Agusta was advised to target top leaders to win contract". 2 February 2014.
  6. ^ "AgustaWestland scam: Has UPA subverted India into a kleptocracy, asks Jaitley". News18. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014.
  7. ^ FP Staff (2 February 2014). "'Target' Sonia, her key advisers: Middleman told AgustaWestland". Firstpost.
  8. ^ "Reuters". Archived from the original on 6 September 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
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