Chopper deal: CVC could summon Defence Ministry official

New Delhi: The Central Vigilance Commission is likely to summon chief vigilance officer of the Defence Ministry apparently irked over delay in submitting its findings on a complaint of alleged irregularities in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper deal. The anti-corruption watchdog had received the complaint and sent it to the chief vigilance officer, who acts as a distant arm of the CVC, for necessary action, official sources said. It has been over six months and the Commission is yet to get any final report from the officer. The CVO may be called in to give explanation or to appear before the Commission to explain the delay, they said. [caption id=“attachment_640639” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The Finmeccanica CEO who was arrested on charges of bribery. Reuters[/caption] A chief vigilance officer gets a maximum of four months to finalise a report or take necessary action on graft complaints forwarded to his/her office by the probity watchdog. The sources declined to share further details including the name of complainant and other information on the complaint in the matter. CBI has already registered a preliminary enquiry to probe alleged irregularities in the purchase of helicopters. The probe agency has named former Air Force chief S P Tyagi and 10 others including his cousins – Julie, Docsa and Sandeep Tyagi – in its preliminary enquiry. The Commission is following up the matter with the Defence Ministry to ensure speedy conclusion of the complaint sent to its CVO in the VVIP chopper deal, they said. PTI