AgustaWestland chopper scam: BJP asks Congress to welcome probe if innocent

Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said on 1 May that the Congress must not to be afraid of the probe into the controversial AgustaWestland chopper scam if they feel they are innocent.

"On one hand Congress claims they are innocent. And on the other hand, they are making a big issue out of it. They are ones who should welcome a probe so that at end of day they are able to vindicate themselves," Singh told ANI.

"Sonia Gandhi says that she is not afraid of the Constitution and the CBI. Those Congress leaders who are saying that they have nothing to hide should come out and prove it," he added.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the investigating agencies are doing their job and that the truth about the scam would soon be unearthed.

"We are aware of the fact that way back in 2013, when we were discussing these deals and even then the BJP had raised pertinent questions and had pointed fingers towards the then UPA president and the driving force of UPA, that was Mrs Sonia Gandhi and today when appellate court of Milan has delivered its judgement, where the name of Sonia Gandhi ji is and name of the advisors of the UPA," Patra told ANI.

"As far as the question being asked to the Congress Party is concerned, the whole country wants to know the truth behind the AgustaWestland deal. The country is asking where the money has gone and who the bribe takers are. The investigative agencies are doing their job," he added.

AgustaWestland's Rs 3,600 crore contract to supply 12 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force had been scrapped by the Indian Government over charges of paying kickbacks to Indian agents.

In January 2013, India cancelled the deal and the CBI was assigned to investigate whether kickbacks were paid to Indian officials.

- ANI