With Italian investigators reporting that Italian officials bribed Indian officials over the chopper deal, UPA Government was thrown in to bad light yet another time by giving enough scope for opposition parties raising their fingers at the Centre yet another time. The moment this news was out in Italian media, the Indian defence ordered a CBI probe in to the issue.

The prosecutors in Italy who investigated the case reportedly said that at least ten per cent of the deal amount was given as the bribe to the Indian officials to ensure that the deal will be won by Augusta Westland Helicopter Unit in Italy (that actually won the deal).

What exactly is this deal:

Indian defence thought of purchasing as many as 12 helicopters from Italy for various very important persons such as the President of India, prime minister and others. The helicopter model is AW 101. The specialty of this chopper is that it has a separate entry from the back wherein one need not get down the car to enter the chopper. This means that it would provide extra security to VIPs. Keeping in view the same, Indian defence entered into a deal with Augusta Westland Helicopter Unit for purchasing these choppers at Rs. 3,546 crore in 2010.

What is not known to many people is that US President Barack Obama too wanted to purchase these choppers for his VVIPs in 2009 itself. But when the company said that it would cost 13 billion dollars, he simply rejected it stating that the price was little too much. Instead, he was of the opinion that the present helicopters could be upgraded with the same cost.

While this company has already delivered three choppers to India, the defence ordered the cancellation of remaining nine and ordered a CBI probe on the deal. Since CBI probe was ordered immediately and remaining choppers' delivery was cancelled, the political observers were of the opinion that it would not have an effect on the UPA Government.

(AW Phani)