An Italian court’s acquittal of former Finmeccanica Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Orsi and former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini from corruption charges in the Rs. 3,700-crore VVIP chopper deal case will not impact the ongoing probe in India, according to top CBI sources.
“Orsi was convicted of false invoicing by an Italian court on Thursday and sentenced to two years in prison, along with Spagnolini, the former head of the helicopter division of AgustaWestland. They were acquitted, however, of charges of international corruption in relation to alleged bribes paid to land a contract to sell 12 helicopters to the Indian government,” said Italian news agency ANSA.
The agency quoted Mr. Orsi as saying: “I didn’t expect anything different as I didn’t commit the act.”
The Italy court suspended the sentences as they were all up to and including two years.
Reacting to the development, former Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi (an accused in the case) said: “Thankful to God for this start.”
Stating that it would not hinder investigations by Indian enforcement agencies, a senior CBI official said: “We will examine the order, a copy of which is yet to be shared with us.”
