CBI team to meet Italian prosecutors

Central Bureau of Investigation’s probe into the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopters deal in 2010 received a boost with Italian prosecutors agreeing to meet agency sleuths. Abhishek Sharan reports.

Central Bureau of Investigation’s probe into the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopters deal in 2010 received a boost with Italian prosecutors agreeing to meet agency sleuths.

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A joint Indian team, which comprises a CBI deputy inspector general and a legal advisor along with a senior ministry of defence official, will meet Italian prosecutors on Wednesday.

“The CBI probe team in Italy has received encouraging signals from the Italian public prosecutors, who are probing bribery charges against the Italian firm that clinched a deal to supply AgustaWestland VVIP helicopters to India.

"The Italian public prosecutors have agreed to our request and given us an appointment to meet them on Wednesday afternoon,” said a source.

Meanwhile, Finmeccanica on Tuesday said its UK-based subsidiary AgustaWestland would had fully complied with Indian law and would cooperate with Indian authorities to clarify the matter.