CBI to look into NDA meeting for VVIP chopper; may examine its own special Director

NEW DELHI: After recording statements of three Governors in connection with the alleged bungling in purchase of VVIP helicopters, the focus of CBI's probe into the Rs 3,600 crore deal has shifted to meetings held in this connection in 2003 when the previous NDA regime was in power and it may go through the records of meetings held in November that year.

Official sources said the agency would be probing every aspect of the case to corroborate the statements made by former Governors of West Bengal and Goa--M K Narayanan and B V Wanchoo respectively--and Governor of Andhra Pradesh E S L Narsimhan, who claimed that a decision to decrease the flying altitude was taken in principle in 2003.

The sources did not rule out the possibility of recoding statement of CBI's own Special Director Anil Kumar Sinha, a 1979 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre, as he was the then Inspector General in the elite Special Protection Group, a force which guards the Prime Minister of the country.

After completing the formalities of examining Narayanan, Narsimhan and Wanchoo, the CBI decided to see whether any such decision was taken in principle during the 2003 meetings.

During extensive recording of statement, Wanchoo, who resigned as Goa Governor on July four, informed the CBI about a meeting held by top officials of the Prime Minister's Office in 2003 in which it was decided in principle for having a "realistic operational requirement" after consulting elite SPG, the sources said here.

CBI will also approach the Air Headquarters and the then Air Chief, Air Chief Marshal Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy, on a letter from the then PMO asking for taking a realistic approach and ensure competition in purchasing helicopters for flying the VVIPs including the President and Prime Minister of the country.

The helicopters form a part of VVIP squardon maintained by the Indian Air Force (IAF).