The Central Bureau of Investigation team which reached Italy on Tuesday to probe role of Indians in the alleged Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal scam met its lawyer and described the meeting as "useful."
One cannot expect a thorough-going investigation by the CBI as long as it acts under the supervision of the government, points out B Raman
Former Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, whose name has surfaced in the VVIP helicopter scam, has admitted having met one of the alleged middlemen but claimed innocence.
"I am very excited about joining the TMC. I will work for the development of Bengal," he said.
Singh and his wife have been accorded the cover with a strength of about 45 armed commandos who will guard them round-the-clock at their residence on 3, Motilal Nehru Road and during their movement across the country.
Gandhi walked into Goa Chitra, in South Goa's Benaulim village, about 40 kilometre from Panaji, on Monday evening around 4 pmand spent around 40 minutes there, founder of the museum, Victor Hugo Gomes said.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at the centre of attention today at the 'At Home' function hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee on the occasion of the 68th Independence Day.
The top court, which had earlier fixed August 31 as the deadline for completion of proceedings including pronouncement of the verdict, took note of the report filed by special judge S K Yadav in the high-profile case.
He was subjected to a marathon 10-hour questioning on Thursday by ED investigators.
A seven-layer security ring is planned around the VVIP enclosure on Rajpath from where United States President Barack Obama, President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will watch the Republic Day parade next Monday.
"My first reaction is shock... How can anybody say this, on what basis?" Tyagi told NDTV when asked whether he was involved in the VVIP chopper scam.
Prime Minister Manmohon Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi arrived in Imphal on Saturday on a day's visit to Manipur, official sources said.
Noting the urgency and desire on the part of India to extradite people accused of corruption, the UK on Friday said a "legal process" is on in Vijay Mallya's matter and it has to be followed through as there cannot be any shortcut. In May last year, the fugitive businessman lost his appeals in the British Supreme Court against his extradition to India to face money laundering and fraud charges. Asked when can Mallya be extradited to India and if some kind of legal issue is still pending in the matter, new British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, without pointing to any particular case, said he recognises the urgency, importance and the desire to get back people who are accused of corruption to India.
The SC asked special judge to control the proceedings in accordance with law so that inordinate delay that is beyond the time-frame is no longer breached.
Apart from khaman, the VVIPs from the US and their delegation will be offered broccoli and corn samosa, apple pie, kaju katli and a variety of teas to choose from, said chef Suresh Khanna of Ahmedabad's Fortune Landmark Hotel.
In this event, it is the IAF that showed true professionalism, telling the boss they weren't going to fly in that weather. You can see what professionalism and moral courage it takes to say no to your prime minister. Only things like that can keep him safe, observes Shekhar Gupta.
ED sought his custody for seven days, claiming it had knowledge of unidentified assets which value more than Rs 500 crore and his custodial interrogation was required.
Ailing Air India may get about Rs 520 crore (Rs 5.2 billion) for carrying out VVIP operations if Parliament approves the supplementary demand for grants for the current year.
Though the deal was inked in 2008, the process had started much earlier.
The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal will once again dominate the proceedings in Parliament on Thursday.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has started fresh questioning of the cousins of former IAF chief SP Tyagi in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal in light of claims by alleged middleman Guido Haschke that he had paid money to them.
'The ongoing presence of extremist/militant elements operating in Pakistan poses a continued risk to US civil aviation from small-arms fire, complex attacks against airports, indirect weapons fire, and anti-aircraft fire, any of which could occur with little or no warning'
The Congress leaders are among those invited by the prime minister to the ceremony.
Ex-IAF chief S P Tyagi will undergo further custodial questioning for three more days as the Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday told a court that AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam was a "very serious" case requiring his interrogation to unearth the larger conspiracy as the "interest of the nation was compromised".
Special judge Arvind Kumar issued notice to the agency and directed it to file a reply on Michel's plea, which had stated that he had not named anybody in connection with the deal during investigation by the ED and that even though the court has not taken cognisance of the documents, in order to make the entire case a sensation again in the media, the agency had leaked the chargesheet.
The probe agency sought nine days further remand of Michel for his custodial interrogation saying he was not cooperating in the investigation of the case.
On his arrival, Xi will be welcomed by traditional peformances including 'tappu' folk drum art display at the airport by about 500 artistes.
Michel was extradited in an operation under the guidance of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Central Bureau of Investigation said on Tuesday.
Moving ahead towards cancelling the controversial chopper deal, the Defence Ministry on Wednesday said it has issued a final show cause notice to AgustaWestland for "violating" the terms of the Rs 3,600 crore contract for supplying 12 VVIP choppers to the Air Force.
The stage for the VVIPs also did not have the mandatory structural certificate, following which police communicated the matter to the ministry of urban development.
Officials said the agency seized a number of documents during the searches from the premises of the firms and entities brought under the action as they were 'connected'.
The Anglo-Italian firm said that the defence ministry had no right to unilaterally suspend the contract for the 12 VVIP choppers. The firm added that it has since April been requesting the ministry to hold discussions on the issue, but there has been no response from the government
It is understood that he was confirmed positive for coronavirus on Thursday night.
Despite disruptions over central rule in Uttarakhand and fresh revelations on the AugustaWestland chopper deal, the Rajya Sabha passed four bills and Lok Sabha cleared three.
The stage is set for another stormy week in the Parliament. The Opposition and the government has been at loggerheads over the VVIP chopper scam since the time a Milan court gave its verdict.
A special court denied Christian Michel bail in the related Central Bureau of Investigation case.
The Congress demanded a National Investigation Agency probe into the matter while BJP state chief K Surendran courted arrest for forcefully entering the complex soon after the fire broke out. Fire department sources told PTI that their personnel at nearby Chenkalchoola were informed about the incident at 4.45 pm and by the time they reached the spot, the room was filled with smoke.
Facing the prospect of cancellation of its Rs 3,600 crore deal to supply 12 VVIP choppers to the IAF, AgustaWestland has sought a meeting with the defence ministry to explain its stand on the issue.
The I-League match between Mohun Bagan and Churchill Brothers, scheduled to be held at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake on Thursday, has been postponed due to security concerns.
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