Questions role in AgustaWestland chopper controversy

The ongoing feud in the Tata group has taken another ugly turn with the office of Cyrus Mistry, who was ousted as Tata Sons chairman, alleging that Vijay Singh, a former defence secretary who is on the Tata Sons board, was linked to the controversial deal to purchase helicopters from AgustaWestland.

“As defence secretary, Mr. Vijay Singh was a key official involved in the award” of the VVIP helicopter contract to AgustaWestland in 2010, Mr. Mistry’s office said in a statement on Sunday. “It is a matter of public record that the government had to cancel the contract, dubbed “Choppergate” by the media, due to charges of corruption and graft.”

The broadside at Mr. Singh, a close aide of Ratan Tata, comes in the wake of comments made by him in an interview, defending the board’s decision to alleging his hand in the now infamous AugustaWestland chopper deal.

In a statement issued through his office Mr Mistry said Vijay Singh as defence secretary, was a key official involved in the award of the Rs. 3600 crore plus VVIP helicopter contract to AugustaWestland in 2010.

" It is a matter of public record that the government had to cancel the contract, dubbed “Choppergate” by the media, due to charges of corruption and graft," the statement said.

" As recent media headlines indicate, the Ex-Chief of the IAF SP Tyagi, was arrested by the CBI in the AugustaWestland Chopper Scam. Many questions continue to remain unanswered" the statement said.

"In 2010: Mr. Ratan Tata had set up a JV with Italy-based Finmeccanica SpA’s helicopter unit AgustaWestland, called Indian Rotor Craft (IRL) to manufacture AW119 utility helicopters. Media reports indicate that the assembly line envisaged in this JV would address part of Finmeccanica’s offset obligation arising from the sale ...." the statement said.

Mistry's office said Mr Singh was invited to join the Tata Sons Board in 2013 as a nominee of the Tata Trusts at the intervention of Mr Ratan Tata.

"It is a matter of record that Mr. Ratan Tata travelled to Italy to “voluntarily depose” for Finmeccanica’s chief Mr.Guiseppe Orsi as a defense witness in 2014. Incidentally, in April of this year, an Italian court sentenced Mr. Orsi to jail for false accounting and corruption over the sale of the 12 AugustaWestland helicopters ....."

However Mr Singh through a statement issued by a Tata Trusts spokesperson has denied the allegations.

"These allegations are untrue. Mr Singh was Defence Secretary between 2007 and 2009 while the Governanment of India started negotiation for buying the chippers before 2007. The deal was signed in 2010. so Mr Singh has nothing to do with the deal," the Tata Trusts spokesperson said.

Mr Singh has come under fire after he reportedly spelt out the "true reason" behind Mr Mistry's removal. Mr Mistry has pointed put several flip flops on the part of Mr Singh as director of Tata Sons.