New Delhi, February 25: A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to Dubai-based businessman Rajeev Saxena, who was arrested in connection with the Rs. 3,600-crore AgustaWestland money-laundering case. Saxena was provided round the clock three armed security personnel on Enforcement Directorate's (ED) recommendation. Special Judge Arvind Kumar granted the relief to Mr Saxena on furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 5 lakh and two sureties of the same amount. AgustaWestland Case: Delhi Court Grants Further 5-day Remand of Christian Michel.

The court also asked Saxena not to tamper with evidence and should join investigation when called. The court also said that the Dubai-based businessman should not leave the country without its permission. Saxena is a director of two Dubai-based firms - UHY Saxena and Matrix Holdings. He is also one of the accused named in the charge sheet filed by the ED. Saxena was extradited to India on January 31, 2019. AgustaWestland Middlemen Christian Michel, Guido Haschke Also Pitched For Eurofighter Typhoon in UPA's Rafale Deal: Reports.

Meanwhile, the main accused in the scam, Christian Michael was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on December 4. Other than Michel, Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa are the two alleged middlemen in the case. Earlier in July, the ED had filed a supplementary chargesheet against the former Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief SP Tyagi in the AgustaWestland Chopper scam. Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) Tyagi’s cousins, lawyer Gautam Khaitan, two Italian middlemen, Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke and Finmeccanica were also named in the chargesheet. Finmeccanica is the parent company of AgustaWestland.

On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over an alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore for securing the deal.  It was alleged that Gerosa along with Haschke and Michel managed to contact IAF officials so that the specifications of helicopters can be altered. In 2005, the service ceiling requirement of helicopters was reduced from 6,000 m to 4,500 m. After this alteration, AgustaWestland became eligible to supply a dozen helicopters for VVIP flying duties.

(With inputs from PTI)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 25, 2019 04:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).