MEA asks missions to speed up execution of LRs

The government has asked its diplomatic missions in 8 foreign capitals to seek early execution of the Letters Rogatory issued in connection with the AgustaWestland scam.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has written to India’s diplomatic missions to seek early execution of the LRs sent to 8 nations — Italy, Tunisia, Mauritius, Singapore, British Virgin Islands, Britain, United Arab Emirates and Switzerland. The Central Bureau of Investigation, which is probing the scam, recently wrote to the MEA requesting to expedite execution of LRs — requests sent for legal assistance from foreign governments in criminal matters. “Yes, I can confirm that we have received a communication in this regard from the CBI seeking an update on the execution reports of the Letters Rogatory that were sent earlier to 8 countries,” said Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson of the MEA.

“We have once again written to our missions in the concerned countries from where the execution reports are pending in order to impress upon them the need to expeditiously execute the LRs and to send the corresponding execution reports at the earliest,” added Swarup. While Italy has only responded to the LR issued by India, most of the eight countries are yet to act on the requests for assistance made by New Delhi in 2014. 

MoD seeks info on graft in Pilatus deal

With investigation into the AgustaWestland chopper scam picking up speed, the defence ministry is now seeking information from various quarters to check if a probe could be launched into the Rs 2,800 crore (6.09 million Swiss Franc) deal to purchase 75 Pilatus basic trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force, DHNS reports from New Delhi.

While the defence ministry was not digressing from the Agusta probe, sources said the ministry would go through old files and seek information from various agencies and individuals following reports of alleged corruption and involvement of middlemen in the Pilatus deal.

The procurement of Pilatus PC 7 MkII was approved by the government in May 2012 and the first batch of PC-7 Mk II arrived at the Indian Air Force Academy in February 2013. All the aircraft had been delivered and a follow-on contract to 38 more aircraft was under the defence ministry’s consideration.

The Swiss company was selected through a tender process after meeting the air staff qualitative requirements.