An AgustaWestland helicopter bought by the Rajasthan government during the tenure of the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP in 2005 has apparently come under the Defence Ministry's scanner. In a letter to the state government, the Defence Ministry has sought details of purchase of the Agusta A109E power helicopter, along with all relevant documents. Accordingly, state chief secretary C.K. Mathew has directed the civil aviation department to furnish the documents mentioning circumstances in which the deal was executed.
Incidentally, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its report for the year ended March 31, 2008, had detected several irregularities and procedural lapses in the deal that it said caused a loss of at least Rs.1.14 crore to the exchequer. The CBI is already probing into the alleged financial irregularities and payoffs in the Rs.3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal with AgustaWestland. The Vasundhara Raje government had bought the helicopter for about Rs.20 crore for the movement of VIPs, such as chief minister, governor and the visiting dignitaries. But the copter turned out to be a white elephant as it flew for the first time only in 2007 for want of trained pilot.
06/06/13 Sudhanshu Mishra/India Today
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Incidentally, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its report for the year ended March 31, 2008, had detected several irregularities and procedural lapses in the deal that it said caused a loss of at least Rs.1.14 crore to the exchequer. The CBI is already probing into the alleged financial irregularities and payoffs in the Rs.3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal with AgustaWestland. The Vasundhara Raje government had bought the helicopter for about Rs.20 crore for the movement of VIPs, such as chief minister, governor and the visiting dignitaries. But the copter turned out to be a white elephant as it flew for the first time only in 2007 for want of trained pilot.
06/06/13 Sudhanshu Mishra/India Today
