Defence Minister A K Antony has confirmed that lookout notices have been issued against several individuals,including a former Air Chief,by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that is probing charges of corruption in the Rs 3,546-crore deal for VVIP helicopters that was signed in 2010. Giving details of the ongoing investigation that has brought former Air Chief S P Tyagi under the scanner,Antony said the government has received a number of documents from Italy pertaining to the investigation into irregularities in the deal. The documents received,which are being examined by the CBI,include a copy of the search and seizure order issued by the judge in Busto Arsizio for preliminary investigation into the matter as well as contracts entered by AgustaWestland with various entities in India and Tunisia. The CBI has issued lookout notices against a number of individuals in India including a former chief of the Air Force in connection with the said case. The matter is still under investigation and the ministry is following it up with the CBI for expediting investigation, Antony said. As first reported by The Indian Express,serious charges have come to light in the VVIP helicopter deal that allege that bribes worth 51 million Euro were paid to decision makers in India and Italy to swing the deal. Allegations are that the tender as well as selection procedure was tweaked to favour the Italian manufacturer in return for illegal gratification. No Chinese military activity in Gwadar,some in Sindh NEW DELHI: Defence Minister A K Antony has said there are no reports yet of any kind of Chinese military activity in the strategic Gwadar port of Pakistan that has been in the news lately for being redeveloped with Beijings assistance. The minister however said presence of Chinese military as well as commercial activity has been reported from Pakistan's Sindh province,without elaborating on the matter. Chinese commercial activities are reported close to Indo-Pak border at many places, he added. ENS
