CBI court issues NBW against foreign investor linked to AgustaWestland case

A Special CBI court here on Saturday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against a Gulf-based investor for being allegedly linked to the AgustaWestland case. Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar issued the warrant against foreign investor Omar Al Balsharaf after pursuing the arguments of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) counsels -- Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) D P Singh and advocate Naveen Kumar Matta.

During the course of hearing, ED's counsels argued that the agency had issued summon to him multiple times since March 2018, but he didn't join the investigation deliberately and also didn't provide the information sought from him, while he was availing his legal remedies before the different legal forums. The agency further claimed that by not joining the investigation, he is evading the process of law and the NBW issued against him and it is necessary to secure his presence in the instant case for an effective investigation.

According to the investigations carried out by the ED, it was revealed that Interstellar Technologies Ltd, Mauritius, transferred an amount of USD (5,303,471) to the account of Rawasi Al Khaleej General Trading LLC, Dubai but the same was maintained under the ledger head Omar Ali Balsharaf-Gautam Khaitan in the book of RAKGT, which raises many questions and need clarification. Some other entries were also found to be suspected in the case, which needed Omar to join the probe. As RAKGT is associated with Shiekh Omar Al Balsharaf, it is contended that Balsharaf trading business may be legal, but he needs to explain about the money he got from various companies into Dubai account, in which some companies are related to accused Gautam Khaitan and other accused.

On July 18 last year, ED had filed a prosecution complaint against 34 accused persons and companies including Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini, former directors of Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland, former IAF chief SP Tyagi and others in the case of VVIP helicopter scam. The ED investigation revealed that the kickbacks were allegedly paid by AgustaWestland through two different channels.

One channel was handled by the middleman Christian Michel James and the other channel was handled by Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke. According to ED investigations, Gerosa and Haschke in collusion with Tyagi brothers, cousins of former IAF chief SP Tyagi, allegedly conspired with Gautam Khaitan of OP Khaitan and Company Auditors & Solicitors based in New Delhi. 

(With inputs from agencies.)