Hours ahead of the No-Confidence motion in the Parliament on Friday and a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a fresh chargesheet in a Delhi court in the AgustaWestland helicopter scam, Congress alleged that the middleman Christian Michael has been forced by the Modi government and “its agencies” to name UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in return for exoneration from any charges in the case.
Citing Michael’s lawyer Rosemary Patrizi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Thursday, said that Michael was forced to sign a confession by the Modi government naming Sonia Gandhi.
“Two days ago, Christian Michael was arrested in Dubai for AgustaWestland case. Now, his advocate Rosemary Patrizi clearly states that Modi govt and its agencies were forcing Christian Michael to sign false confession naming Sonia Gandhi ji,” said Randeep Surjewala.
The Congress also issued a statement calling the alleged acts of the Centre a ‘concentrated conspiracy’ and blind vendetta.
In a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala called Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘Master of Deception’ and said that stunning revelations have blown the lid off the “concerted conspiracy, blind vendetta and web of lies” weaved by the PM against the Congress leadership in AgustaWestland Case.
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The Congress also accused PM Modi of using probe agencies – CBI and ED — to smear opposition leaders. “Never before in the history of India has a Prime Minister been found complicit in gaining false evidence against opposition leaders to seek revenge”.
Christian Michael’s advocate Rosemary Patrizi clearly states that Modi govt and its agencies were forcing Christian Michael to sign false confession naming UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi: @rssurjewala. Watch the highlights of the press conference. #TruthOfAgusta pic.twitter.com/50ezHnBYrl
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 19, 2018
On Wednesday the ED had filed a fresh chargesheet in a Delhi court accusing former AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica directors Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini and ex-IAF chief SP Tyagi of money laundering in the VVIP chopper bribery scam case.
The chargesheet, filed before special judge Arvind Kumar in the Patiala House Court will be taken up for consideration on July 20.
Defending the allegation levelled against the party Surjewala said, “Undisputed facts in Agusta Westland Case are that UPA-Congress Government had cancelled the contract for supply of 12 helicopters for a total cost of Rs 3,546 crore in February 2013 and proceeded to handover the case to the CBI on 12th February 2013.
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Surjewala further accused the Modi government of acting as a ‘protector and benefactor’ of Agusta Westland/Finmeccanica.
Former Defence Minister AK Antony also said on Thursday that it was the Congress party, which initiated a probe into the AgustaWestland case and that the Gandhi family is not even remotely related with case. “In AgustaWestland case, we took the decision to probe. The probe was our initiative, this case has nothing to do with the Gandhi family. This is a false propaganda by BJP,” Antony said.
The case involves a Rs 3,600-crore VVIP chopper deal signed in 2007 by the then UPA government for the purchase of 12 luxury helicopters to be used by top leaders, including the President, Prime Minister and former prime ministers.
On January 1, 2014, the deal with Finmeccanica’s British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF was scrapped over an alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of kickbacks of Rs 423 crore paid by it to secure the deal.
(With ANI inputs)
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