Mumbai, Jul 19 (DC): The Congress on Thursday alleged that middleman Christian Michael has been forced by the Modi government and “its agencies” to name UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in return for exoneration from any charges in AgustaWestland case.
In a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala called Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘Master of Deception’ and said that stunning revelations have blown the lid off the ‘concerted conspiracy’, ‘blind vendetta’ and ‘web of lies’ weaved by the PM against the Congress leadership in AgustaWestland Case.
The Congress also accused PM Modi of using probe agencies – CBI and ED -- to smear opposition leaders adding “Never before in the history of India has a Prime Minister been found complicit in gaining ‘false evidence’ against opposition leaders to seek revenge”.
Defending the allegation levelled against the party Surjewala said, “Undisputed facts in Agusta Westland Case are that UPA-Congress Government had cancelled the contract for supply of 12 helicopters for a total cost of Rs 3,546 crore in February 2013 and proceeded to handover the case to the CBI on 12th February 2013.
He added that the UPA-Congress government had proceeded to encash the securities/bank guarantees (both in India and abroad) and recovered an amount of Rs 2,068 crore against original payment of Rs 1,620 crore to protect the national interest.
Surjewala further accused the Modi government of acting as a ‘protector and benefactor’ of Agusta Westland/Finmeccanica.
"Modi Govt has permitted them to participate in Defence contracts as a ‘sub-contractor’ and ‘defence supplier’. Not only this, Modi Govt cleared foreign investment in August 2014 in a joint venture between AgustaWestland and Tata,” the Congress leader said.
He also said that the Modi government not only asked AgustaWestland to be a part of ‘Make in India’ programme and participate in ‘Aero India Exhibition’ but also permitted the firm to bid for 100 Navy Utility Helicopters.
The case involves a Rs 3,600-crore VVIP chopper deal signed in 2007 by the then government for the purchase of 12 luxury helicopters to be used by top leaders, including the President, Prime Minister and former prime ministers.
On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the deal with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over an alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of kickbacks of Rs 423 crore paid by it to secure the deal.