People take cover from dust as an Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper lands during the golden jubilee ceremony of its Central Air Command in the northern Indian city of Allahabad April 7, 2013.
Indian Air Force (IAF) Akash Ganga team perform sky diving depicting the three colors of the Indian flag during a display in Allahabad, India, Sunday, April 7, 2013. The display was held to mark 50 years of IAF s Central Air Command.
New Delhi: Former IAF chief SP Tyagi became the first Air Chief to be booked by the CBI, along with 12 others, for alleged cheating, corruption and criminal conspiracy in the Rs 3600 crore VVIP helicopter deal and searches were carried out at 14 locations including his residence.
The former Air Chief, his cousins - Sanjeev alias Julie, Rajeev alias Docsa and Sandeep, European middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Christian Michel and Guido Haschke were among 13 individuals named in the FIR as accused, CBI sources said.
Shashi Tyagi is the first Chief of the Indian Air Force to be named in a corruption or criminal case by the CBI. SMSes seeking his comments today remained unanswered. He had denied all the allegations against him.
CBI alleged that during his tenure as Air Chief, Tyagi and with his approval the Air Force conceded to reduce the service ceiling for VVIP helicopters from 6000 meters to 4500 meters as mandatory to which it was opposing vehemently on the grounds of security constraints and other related reasons, agency sources said.
In this photograph taken on March 31, 2007, then-Indian Air Force Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi inspects a guard of honour at the Indian Air Force Headquarters in New Delhi. Indian police on February 25, 2013 named a former chief of the Indian air force and 10 others as suspects in a $748-million contract for 12 Italian helicopters amid allegations the deal was won through kickbacks.
An Embraer aircraft fires flares at the end of the Indian Air Force (IAF) fire power demonstration exercise "Iron Fist 2013" in Pokhran, Rajasthan January 22, 2013. The IAF displayed its operational capabilities during the exercise.
Army soldiers watch as target is being destroyed during the Indian Air Force (IAF) fire power demonstration exercise "Iron Fist 2013" in Pokhran, Rajasthan January 22, 2013. The IAF displayed its operational capabilities during the exercise.
