Not involved in chopper deal: Former IAF chief's cousin

New Delhi: Julie Tyagi, the cousin of former Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, who has been accused of acting as a broker in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal has broken his silence for the first time after the allegations were levelled and claimed that he was not involve in the deal. Julie Tyagi said the allegations against him were are baseless and he was in no way connected with the deal.

On the other hand, a Swiss-based middleman has claimed that he had met the then IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi 6-7 times and had discussed the technical specifications of the contract with him, according to a report in an English newspaper The Indian Express. The middleman has been identified as Guido Haschke.

Haschke is alleged to have acted as a middleman in the VVIP helicopter deal with the Indian Air Force for 12 AgustaWestland 101 flying machines. Haschke has reportedly revealed to the Italian investigators that he received 20 million euro as a commission in the deal.

The former Air Chief Marshal, who is facing corruption allegations in the Rs 3,546 crore chopper deal with Italy's AgustaWestland, on Wednesday denied having any involvement in the case and said changes in the helicopter tender were made before his tenure started. He, however, said he is ready for an inquiry into the bribery case that led on Tuesday to the arrest of Giuseppe Orsi, CEO of Finmeccanica, which owns AgustaWestland.

Tyagi, whose family members allegedly received part payments amounting to 100,000 euros from two AgustaWestland managers, said he was "shocked" at the allegations. "I asked my relatives about this, they told me they have nothing to do with this," he added.

"In my knowledge, nothing was done that I could doubt on. If so much is in the news then I am sure there is something. I am ready for the inquiry and I want it to happen," Tyagi added.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister AK Antony warned of action against those involved in the deal and said, "Whoever is found guilty in the Italian chopper deal will have to pay the price and nobody will be spared."