NEW DELHI: Enlarging its probe into the allegation of kickbacks in the purchase of 43 Airbus aircraft in 2005 during the first UPA government, the Enforcement Directorate has approached the French authorities for “relevant evidence” from their ongoing probe against aerospace giant Airbus.France opened probe on various overseas Airbus deals on the basis of a whistleblower complaint about a year ago. The ED has written to the National Financial Prosecutor, Paris, seeking information.Sources told ET that the French authorities are in possession of crucial emails involving Airbus officials. The said “evidence” will be used by Indian agencies to buttress their pending probe against Airbus, said people with knowledge of the matter.This information, sources said, will be used to confront alleged corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar who was extradited from Dubai on January 30. Talwar is accused of arranging favours for Airbus in cahoots with officials and politicians during UPA-1.Sources told ET that the ongoing investigation by the CBI and ED has found that over $175 million were “fraudulently transferred”.This was the cost for a training centre and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to be established by Airbus. The 2005 Cabinet had approved the purchase of aircraft from Airbus on the “mandatory condition” that it (Airbus) will set up the centres.Investigations, people cited above said, are focused on establishing the charge that the Cabinet approval was “fraudulently amended” by officials at the civil aviation ministry and Indian Airlines. This relates to the mandatory condition of setting up the two MRO centres, which was apparently “removed” from the final purchase order. ET has learnt that the probe agencies have already confronted a top official of the ministry and airline officials, who they claim failed to offer any cogent explanation.Sleuths have also confronted the top ministry official in 2005 with his tour programme, which claimed that he visited France to negotiate establishment of the two MRO centres.When contacted, Airbus said: “As a standard practice, we cannot comment on an ongoing investigation. We have cooperated with the investigation in the past and we will continue to do so.”Airbus stands named by the CBI and ED in its cases registered in 2017. The CBI had registered an FIR in May 2017 on the directions of Supreme Court.