Former IAF Chief SP Tyagi part of Air Force family and should support him, but will abide by court's decision: Air Chief Arup Raha

NEW DELHI: Outgoing Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Arup Raha while speaking today in relation to AgustaWestland chopper scam said former IAF chief SP Tyagi is part of the Air Force family and the force should stand by him.

Raha while addressing his last press conference in Delhi said, "We believe that the law of the land should be followed and once the probe is complete we will abide by whatever the court decides. Till charges are proved we must give him his due. The former Air Force Chief is like an extended family member and we should stand by them (sic)."

He added, "However, if the charges are proved then we have no sympathies for them".

However, if the charges are proved then we have no sympathies for them: Air Force Chief Arup Raha pic.twitter.com/tzDb4gQUvI

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 28, 2016

His successor, Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, will take over as the Air Chief on December 31.

Raha said that several agencies are involved in the procurement process and it is not fair to pin down just the armed forces.

In the AgustaWestland case, the CBI has accused SP Tyagi of reducing the service ceiling (height of flying capability) of helicopters- a mandatory operational requirement- from 6000 meters to 4500 meters, when he was the IAF chief. This allowed AgustaWestland in the fray. Tyagi, his cousin, Sanjeev Tyagi and advocate, Gautam Khaitan, were arrested by the CBI on December 9.

Meanwhile, Raha listed the Pathankot terror attack in January, the AN-32 crash in July, One Rank One Pension (OROP) and seventh Central Pay Commission issues as major "setbacks" of his tenure as the Air Chief.

"Pathankot was the first setback, we have learnt lessons and are better prepared now. The second setback was the missing of the AN-32. Despite efforts we couldn't trace it. It is one of the worst memories in my career," he said.

Investigated 40 targets at bottom of sea - 3.5 km depth - and have now zeroed in on 10. Have requested govt for help.

— Manu Pubby (@manupubby_ET) December 28, 2016
(ET Bureau)

On July 22 this year, an IAF AN-32 transport aircraft disappeared while flying over the Bay of Bengal. The aircraft was enroute from Chennai to Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.