The Switzerland-based middleman Guido Haschke Ralph used to flaunt his close connections with top Indian Air Force officials to impress Finmeccanica officials, according to the Italian police report, a copy of which is accessed by DNA.
During the course of interrogation Haschke told Italian investigators that he first met Julie Tyagi, one of the cousins of former IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, at the wedding of his partner Carlo Gerosa's daughter in 2005. He used his connections to meet CEO of Finmeccanica, Giuseppe Orsi, who was arrested by the Italian police in Milan on Monday.
According to the investigation report submitted by the Italian police in Busto Arsizio, Italy, right after former Italian President Carlo Ciampi visited India in 2005, Haschke arranged a meeting of top Finmeccanica executive and SP Tyagi.
Haschke told the investigators that after this meeting, AgustaWestland signed its first contract with his company, Gordian. Interestingly, Haschke was also doing consultancy with French company Dassault.
The Italian probe report also claims that with that arrangement, AgustaWestland agreed to make an initial payment of 4 lakh euros — Hashke and Carlo Gerosa would share 3 lakh euros while the rest would go to the Tyagi brothers.
“The money was given to Julie in cash during our trips to India. I specify that the agreement was with the Tyagi family, but the money was materially given only to Julie," Haschke said.
On Friday, Guiseppe Orsi, former president of Finmeccanica, denied being involved in any bribery scandal and denied meeting Tyagi brothers. “I never knew of illegal maneuvers” as part of the sale of helicopters to India, said Giuseppe Orsi in front of the magistrate in Naples, as reported by his lawyer.
Professor Ennio Amodio, lawyer of Giuseppe Orsi, said that during the interrogation, the manager, "said three noes": No mandate to Hashcke for "any type of maneuver" for the operation of Indian deal; he has never known the Tyagi family; he had never heard of illegal maneuvers as part of the sale of the 12 helicopters.
Meanwhile, Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan, whose name was featured in the taped conversations of Hashke released by Italian investigators, has claimed innocence.
Khaitan had resigned from the board of directors of the Chandigarh-based Aeromatrix, which has been named as a key conduit to pay bribes in India.
Gautam Khaitan told DNA, “I was only acting as a legal consultant for Aeromatrix as their Indian counterpart. I was holding directorship and share holder because of local presence. I was their nominee in India but after this controversy erupted I resigned from the directorship. I used to foot my hourly bills to the company."
COURTESY:
Published: Saturday, Feb 16, 2013, 8:00 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_hashke-fixed-finmeccanica-tyagi-meeting_1800416
During the course of interrogation Haschke told Italian investigators that he first met Julie Tyagi, one of the cousins of former IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, at the wedding of his partner Carlo Gerosa's daughter in 2005. He used his connections to meet CEO of Finmeccanica, Giuseppe Orsi, who was arrested by the Italian police in Milan on Monday.
According to the investigation report submitted by the Italian police in Busto Arsizio, Italy, right after former Italian President Carlo Ciampi visited India in 2005, Haschke arranged a meeting of top Finmeccanica executive and SP Tyagi.
Haschke told the investigators that after this meeting, AgustaWestland signed its first contract with his company, Gordian. Interestingly, Haschke was also doing consultancy with French company Dassault.
The Italian probe report also claims that with that arrangement, AgustaWestland agreed to make an initial payment of 4 lakh euros — Hashke and Carlo Gerosa would share 3 lakh euros while the rest would go to the Tyagi brothers.
“The money was given to Julie in cash during our trips to India. I specify that the agreement was with the Tyagi family, but the money was materially given only to Julie," Haschke said.
On Friday, Guiseppe Orsi, former president of Finmeccanica, denied being involved in any bribery scandal and denied meeting Tyagi brothers. “I never knew of illegal maneuvers” as part of the sale of helicopters to India, said Giuseppe Orsi in front of the magistrate in Naples, as reported by his lawyer.
Professor Ennio Amodio, lawyer of Giuseppe Orsi, said that during the interrogation, the manager, "said three noes": No mandate to Hashcke for "any type of maneuver" for the operation of Indian deal; he has never known the Tyagi family; he had never heard of illegal maneuvers as part of the sale of the 12 helicopters.
Meanwhile, Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan, whose name was featured in the taped conversations of Hashke released by Italian investigators, has claimed innocence.
Khaitan had resigned from the board of directors of the Chandigarh-based Aeromatrix, which has been named as a key conduit to pay bribes in India.
Gautam Khaitan told DNA, “I was only acting as a legal consultant for Aeromatrix as their Indian counterpart. I was holding directorship and share holder because of local presence. I was their nominee in India but after this controversy erupted I resigned from the directorship. I used to foot my hourly bills to the company."
COURTESY:
Published: Saturday, Feb 16, 2013, 8:00 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_hashke-fixed-finmeccanica-tyagi-meeting_1800416
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