Agusta chopper scam: Two government officials claim secret information was leaked

NEW DELHI: Two government officials involved in the procurement process of the Rs 3,600-cr VVIP helicopter deal have testified that confidential information was leaked to a retired air force official hired by alleged middleman Christian Michel, people with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The duo — a former Indian Air Force official and a member of the then Defence Procurement Board —have recently deposed in a special court as CBI witnesses.

In their testimonies also, recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code before a judicial magistrate, the two had disclosed that classified information on the deal was shared with the retired air force official, the people said.


According to the witnesses, Michel had “religiously kept track” of the movement of the file of the deal through the retired official.

Michel had also procured classified documents through KV Kunhikrishnan, the then general manager of Westland Helicopters in New Delhi, the witnesses have purportedly testified before the magistrate.

The CBI last year told a local court that Michel had paid Rs 97 lakh to Kunhikrishnan in the guise of his fee for providing support services.

The statements of the two witnesses reveal the modus operandi adopted by middlemen, including Michel, to access information and documents relating the chopper deal, the people cited above claimed.

ET was the first to report, on February 28, that the ED has alleged “high level political lobbying” to influence the UPA government's finance minister and “his advisers” to tilt the deal in favour of British helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland.

The ED opposed Michel’s bail in the Delhi HC last month, alleging that he was responsible for “carrying out the liaising activities with the political leaders of the then ruling party, bureaucrats and ministers”.