VVIP chopper scam: ED writes to MoD seeking details of two retired officials

NEW DELHI: Probing whether two retired Indian Air Force officials - Air Marshal Gautam Nayyar and Group Captain Shashi Bhushan Sharma had any role to play in the Rs 3,600-crore VVIP chopper deal going in favour of AgustaWestland, the Enforcement Directorate has approached ministry of defence seeking details of their posting, work profile, people who visited them and their connection with the controversial agreement.
Top government sources told TOI that ED had written to MoD last week after it uncovered the money trail between alleged European middleman Christian Michel to Nayyar and Sharma. The two retired officers were questioned by ED officials last week in connection with the evidence suggesting that Michel spent a lot of money on their trips abroad. ED has also sought from MoD, details of two officers' travel details as per the records of the ministry.
"ED has written to ministry of defence asking if Nayyar and Sharma were connected with the deal, directly or indirectly, who all visited them while they were posted in the Air Force and other relevant decisions taken by them, if any, in connection with the contract," said a government source.
Source added that ED has already found some evidence for its probe under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The agency has found some dubious remittances of Rs 80 lakh from Michel to Nayyar, said sources.
ED suspects the money received in a private consultancy firm floated by the former IAF officer, had links to 'kickbacks' paid by the Italian firm to bag the Rs 3,600 crore deal.
The alleged middleman also reportedly paid for Nayyar and Sharma's air travel and luxury hotel stays abroad. The former Air Marshal reportedly visited several foreign countries and cities including Paris, London, Dubai, Los Angeles and Turkey with his family. He had also travelled to Lisbon, Frankfurt, Rome, New York, Milan, Venice and Singapore.
It is also suspected that Michel had travelled with Nayyar to London on many occasions.
In its AgustaWestland money laundering probe, ED has also tracked several other contacts of Michel in Delhi apart from some properties through benami transactions. A property was also attached last week in the case.
Michel (51), was allegedly paid 26 million pounds by state-controlled Italian aerospace, Finmeccanica to help secure the Rs 3,600 crore contract from the Indian government for helicopters.
It is alleged that Indian officials at different levels were paid Rs 360 crore to clinch the deal.
CBI is also probing the matter but hasn't reached any conclusion yet.