VVIP chopper scam: Italy refuses to extradite middleman Carlo Gerosa

NEW DELHI: In a major setback for investigating agencies in the UPA-era Rs 3,727 crore VVIP chopper scam, Italy on Friday refused to extradite European middleman Carlo Valentino Gerosa to India.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had, in November first week, sent an extradition request to Italy for Gerosa, as first reported by TOI + on November 2.

Gerosa was arrested by Italian authorities in October on the basis of an Interpol red corner notice (RCN) issued by CBI.

Confirming the development, top CBI sources told TOI that they will “take up” the matter with Italian authorities again through the ministry of external affairs since Gerosa needs to be brought to India to unravel the whole conspiracy.

Gerosa is an important link in the scam as he was involved in the whole conspiracy to bribe Indian politicos, senior ministry of defence and IAF officials and private persons including former air chief SP Tyagi + and his family members to tilt the crucial contract of supply of 12 VIP choppers in favour of the Anglo-Italian firm – AgustaWestland.

“Gerosa could have provided important clues about his immediate associates — Guido Haschke, UK-based middleman Christian Michel and the complete money trail since he maintained ‘the account of bribery’; arranged meetings between IAF officials and AgustaWestland office bearers and even became director in several shell companies used to route the bribe money from Italy to India,” said an official, requesting anonymity.

CBI sources said that they had shared all the documents, including chargesheet, statements, technical evidence, etc along with the extradition request and Italy should have honoured their request.

Gerosa is a Swiss passport holder and officials feel that Italy may have taken that into account while rejecting India’s request. India does not have a bilateral extradition treaty with Italy.

Investigators say that Gerosa was involved in the whole conspiracy from day one.

In fact, in its chargesheet filed in September, the CBI has stated that it was Gerosa who, along with Haschke, had initiated the first meeting to favour AgustaWestland for the IAF contract.

“In 2004, Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie Tyagi had proposed himself along with his own family to Guido Haschke as a middleman for the call of bids regarding the ‘VIP helicopters’ and asked Haschke if, they had any contact with EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company), manufacturers of Eurocopter helicopter, or M/s Finmeccanica/AgustaWestland.

Tyagi brothers also told Haschke that their cousin Air Chief Marshal (retd) SP Tyagi would become CAS (chief of air staff) shortly”, says the CBI chargesheet.

On this, the CBI says, “Gerosa and Haschke replied that they did not have such contact in EADS, but through Mr Zampini, CEO of M/s Ansaldo Energia (a Finmeccanica Group company), they had contact in AgustaWestland”.

The CBI says that Gerosa had also prepared a payment sheet, recovered by Italian investigators in April 2012, which indicated that Julie Tyagi was paid €240,000 as part payment.

Gerosa also co-owned a company M/S Euromed Holding LLC, USA, along with Haschke, three Tyagi brothers – Julie, Sandeep and Rajeev Tyagi with a share of 20% each.

The CBI has listed several payments received in several companies owned by these middleman over a period. The central agency has established money trail of €62 million (around Rs 415 crore) out of suspected €67 million (Rs 452 crore) total bribe so far.

According to sources, irregularities in the award of contract to AgustaWestland in 2010 for supply of 12 VIP choppers led to estimated loss of €398.21 million (around Rs 2,666 crore) to the Indian government in the €556.262 million (Rs 3,726.9 crore) contract.