New Delhi:
Former Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and former Air Vice Marshal Jasbir Singh Panesar were charged by the CBI today in the Agusta-Westland case involving corruption in the purchase of VVIP choppers.
With the Defence Ministry giving its clearance, the CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet in the ₹ 3,200 crore case, naming Shashi Kant Sharma and four other senior Indian Air Force officials as accused in the case.
Mr Sharma was Joint Secretary (Air) in the Defence Ministry between 2003 and 2007 and went on to become Defence Secretary (2011-13) and auditor (2013-2017).
The agency has also sought sanction to prosecute SA Kunte, Deputy Chief Testing Pilot, Thomas Mathew, Wing Commander IAF and Group Captain N Santosh.
The case involves alleged bribery to swing a deal for AgustaWestland to provide 12 VVIP helicopters to India for top leaders including the President, Prime Minister and others.
AgustaWestland allegedly landed the deal despite being ineligible as its helicopters did not meet the 6,000-meter operational ceiling parameter set by the Indian Air Force.
