New Delhi: Allegations of bribes in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal may figure in Defence Secretary level talks between India and the UK on Monday. Shashi Kant Sharma is in London for the annual defence dialogue, but may seek British help to speed up the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe currently underway in the VVIP chopper deal.
Cameron is worriedPrime Minister David Cameron had promised assistance in this regard when he visited Delhi in February, 2013. India may cancel the deal with the Italian firm Finmeccanica, which could result in job losses in the UK, where the factory functions from.
AgustaWestland is facing the threat of being blacklisted for the alleged payment of kickbacks of Rs 362 crore by its former CEOs violating the integrity pact signed by it with the Indian government.
The Defence Ministry has already initiated the process of cancellation of the deal after the arrest of former Finmeccanica CEO Guiseppe Orsi and former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini by Italian investigators in connection with the case. The Ministry has already ordered a CBI probe into the deal and is waiting for the CBI inquiry report before initiating any further action on the future of the Rs 3,600 crore deal.
(With Additional Inputs From PTI)
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