This Article is From Feb 27, 2013

VVIP chopper scam: BJP says Supreme Court should monitor probe, rejects proposal for parliamentary probe

New Delhi: During a discussion in the Rajya Sabha today, the BJP once again demanded that the Supreme Court should monitor the investigation into the allegations of kickbacks in the Rs. 4000 crore VVIP chopper deal. The opposition party had earlier rejected a Joint Parliamentary Committee or JPC probe into the alleged scam. The government is likely to announce the setting up of a JPC today, sources have said.

Here are the top 10 developments in the story:

  1. BJP leader Prakash Javadekar reiterated today that his party wants a time-bound CBI probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court. He also questioned the government's alleged delay in ordering the investigation.

  2. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath is likely to announce the setting up of the JPC today, sources have told NDTV.

  3. The BJP says the government's proposal for setting up a JPC is aimed at scuttling the probe.

  4. Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said today, "I don't think a JPC is advisable at this point of time because the Lok Sabha term will end in about a year's time and as we know JPCs take longer. So this is a counsel for scuttling the probe."

  5. The BJP has demanded that the beneficiaries of the alleged kickbacks in the deal for the 12 VVIP choppers manufactured by Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland be revealed.

  6. Yesterday, the BJP demanded an immediate discussion on the issue. The government initially said it needed more time as more details were awaited and suggested a discussion by next week. It later agreed to have it today.

  7. "The Government is ready to have a discussion on it at any point of time. I had discussed the issue with the Defence Minister, he is ready for it next week. In case the members want to take up the issue tomorrow, we are ready," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said yesterday.

  8. India began a CBI inquiry to determine if bribes were paid after the top executive of AgustaWestland's parent company, Finmeccanica, was arrested in Italy earlier this month.

  9. Italian prosecutors have alleged that retired Air Chief Marshal Tyagi was among those who received kickbacks. He has rejected the charges against him.

  10. CBI officials travelled to Italy last week and returned with documents that could serve as crucial evidence. India has initiated the process of cancelling the 12-chopper deal that was signed in 2010.



Post a comment

Also Read

.