Helicopter scam has tarnished India's global image: Rajnath Singh

RAIPUR: Alleging that CBI has failed to sniff out the "scam" involving payment of Rs 362 crore kickbacks in India by an Italian aerospace firm to clear a Rs 3600 crore chopper deal, BJP president Rajnath Singh today said the expose has tarnished India's image.

"Though the defence minster has immediately ordered CBI inquiry, we must not forget the fact that this scam was unearthed by Italian investigating agencies and not by our investigating agencies. Why our agencies (CBI) can not unearth such scams?..Indian government has to take some strong steps to make the investing agencies more effective", Rajnath said.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a concluding session of the three-day state level convention of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) at Naya Raipur.

"The chopper deal has tarnished India's image at the international level and UPA government is responsible for it", he said.

Rajnath said the CBI, after removing its senior prosecutor from 2G case following his alleged conversation with an accused, recorded on tape, should also investigate whether some officials and ministers of Indian government were also party to the irregularities.

"The investigation is underway into the case (in which public prosecutor in 2G spectrum case was removed), but they (CBI) should also check whether some officials and ministers of Indian government were involved into it", he added.