New Delhi: Army will have to wait further for 197 helicopters as the defence ministry has extended till June 30 the contractual validity of two bids received for the Rs 5,000 crore tender amid allegations of bribery attempt.
The tender, which was floated in 2008, got marred after allegations that a Brigadier, involved in the acquisition process, had sought kickbacks from Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland to swing the deal in its favour.
The allegations are being probed by CBI. AgustaWestland could not qualify on technical grounds at the trial stage, leaving European Eurocopter and Russian Kamov in the race for the tender which was already scrapped once in 2007.
23/01/14 PTI/Times of India
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The tender, which was floated in 2008, got marred after allegations that a Brigadier, involved in the acquisition process, had sought kickbacks from Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland to swing the deal in its favour.
The allegations are being probed by CBI. AgustaWestland could not qualify on technical grounds at the trial stage, leaving European Eurocopter and Russian Kamov in the race for the tender which was already scrapped once in 2007.
23/01/14 PTI/Times of India
