Former air force chief SP Tyagi.
India and Italy are both investigating whether bribes were paid by Italian defence giant Finmeccanica to Indian officials to land a deal for 12 helicopters in 2010.
Italian investigators say that 30 million euros or Rs. 217 crore were paid as kickbacks, and 100,000 euros or Rs 70 lakh were paid in cash to Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie Tyagi, a cousin of then air force chief SP Tyagi.
The Italian investigation is centred on the premise that air chief Tyagi revised the technical specifications of the tender to ensure it was bagged by Finmeccanica's helicopter division, AgustaWestland (AW).
The retired air chief has denied the allegations. His cousin, Sanjeev, told NDTV today that he has not been contacted by either Italian or Indian investigators so far.
Sanjeev Tyagi said he is involved in the power sector and has dealt with Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke, listed as AW middlemen in the Italian investigation, but not for the helicopter deal.
He also denied allegations by the Italian investigators that he arranged a meeting for the air chief with the middlemen. He also refuted accusations that he received any kickbacks.
But Mr Haschke has told Italian prosecutors that he met Sandeep Tyagi at Mr Gerosa's wedding in 2001 in Italy, and that he met with then air chief Tyagi six or seven times for updates on the tender for the helicopters.