Chopper case: SC to hear plea against Sonia, Manmohan next week

A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and justices R Banumathi and U U Lalit ordered listing of the PIL.

The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will hear next week a PIL seeking registration of an FIR against political leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in connection with AgustaWestland Chopper case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and justices R Banumathi and U U Lalit ordered listing of the PIL when advocate M L Sharma said that it is an urgent matter which should be heard at the earliest.

> Read: The chopper challenge for the CBI

The CBI had in 2013 registered a case in connection with alleged bribes paid by the firm to Indians to clinch the deal for 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs including the President and the Prime Minister.

An Italian court has reportedly cited handwritten references to Ms. Gandhi, her political secretary Ahmed Patel and former Air Chief S P Tyagi by a middleman in a judgement that convicted the helicopter company’s chief executive.