AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case: Enforcement Directorate attaches property worth Rs 1.12 crore of Italian national

NEW DELHI: Enforcement Directorate ( ED) has attached property to the tune of Rs 1.12 crore allegedly belonging to an Italian national involved in the Rs 3,600- crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case.

The property was attached by the ED today as it was questioning former Indian Air Force (IAF) officers in connection with its money laundering probe into the helicopter deal case.

The property in the name of a media firm, according to the ED order, belonged to the foreign national and included a flat in posh Safdurjung Enclave area of South Delhi, a luxury car and a fixed deposit of Rs 54 lakh.

According to the rules, the owner of the property can appeal within two months of the order.

ED had registered a criminal case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe alleged financial violations in the deal for the 12 VVIP choppers.

ED sources said that the agency has tracked purported payments, running into lakhs, made by middleman to some of the officials as "personal unexplained payments", which includes reimbursements made in connection with foreign travels.

The flat was purchased by a Delhi-based travel businessman but the purchase was allegedly funded by the European businessman, ED sources said.

The agency arrested businessman-lawyer Gautam Khaitan in this case last year and he is currently out on bail after ED filed its first charge sheet in the case.