CAG auditing AgustaWestland helicopter deal: Rai

Amid the storm over alleged kickbacks in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai on Friday said an audit of thecontroversial deal is under progress and a report would be released soon.

Amid the storm over alleged kickbacks in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai on Friday said an audit of the
controversial deal is under progress and a report would be released soon.

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"CAG conducts audit of the defence ministry and we have done it in this case (AgustaWestland deal) too. It will come to your notice very soon. We are conducting the audit", he said during a question-answer session on the deal at a bankers symposium in Mumbai.

On the status of the audit report in the Rs 3,600 crore deal, Rai said, "audit is under progress but don't know when it will be completed. I am not aware about the stage of audit".

It is alleged that kickbacks to the tune of Rs 362 crore were paid to bag the contract. Referring to the spate of corruption issues, Rai said that things have changed and the silent majority can no more be bullied by the minority.