{
 "no": 72,
 "id": "case-72",
 "sk": 20130212,
 "year": 2013,
 "date": "Feb 2013 onward",
 "cat": "Crony capital (alleged)",
 "sev": "amber",
 "title": "AgustaWestland. A ₹3,600 crore chopper deal, and courts that disagreed",
 "stamp": "Deal scrapped. Italian courts acquitted.",
 "human": {
  "v": "Twelve VVIP helicopters, procured on specifications that were altered to fit",
  "est": false
 },
 "cost": {
  "v": "A contract worth about <b>₹3,600 crore</b>, cancelled with payments already made",
  "est": true
 },
 "what": "India contracted AgustaWestland for twelve VVIP helicopters after the mandatory service-ceiling specification was lowered, a change that allowed the eventual winner to qualify. Italian prosecutors alleged bribes were paid to secure it. India cancelled the contract in 2014 and the CBI charged a former air chief and others.",
 "dodge": "The Italian proceedings ran in both directions: acquittal, then conviction on appeal, then final acquittal of the executives in January 2018 for want of evidence. The Indian investigation continued regardless and has produced no conviction of any Indian official or politician. The specification change that shaped the tender was never satisfactorily explained by anyone.",
 "ministers": [
  {
   "n": "A.K. Antony",
   "r": "Defence Minister; cancelled the contract, ordered the CBI probe"
  },
  {
   "n": "S.P. Tyagi",
   "r": "Former IAF chief; charged by the CBI, acquitted by the Italian court"
  }
 ],
 "pos": "The Defence Ministry pointed to its own cancellation of the contract and referral to the CBI as evidence that it acted. Those charged deny wrongdoing and cite the Italian acquittals.",
 "alleg": "Bribery is <em>alleged and, in the Italian courts, ultimately not proven</em>. The Indian case remains unresolved. Nothing here should be read as a finding that any Indian official took money.",
 "alt": "A written, published justification whenever a qualifying specification is changed mid-tender, which is the decision that made the rest possible.",
 "estimates": {
  "costInrCrore": 3600
 },
 "sources": [
  {
   "label": "ThePrint: Italian court finds no scam in the chopper deal",
   "url": "https://theprint.in/india/governance/italian-court-finds-no-scam-in-iafs-rs-3600-crore-agustawestland-vvip-helicopter-deal/123198/",
   "tier": 2
  },
  {
   "label": "Deccan Herald: Italian court acquits Agusta execs",
   "url": "https://www.deccanherald.com/content/652604/italian-court-acquits-former-agusta.html",
   "tier": 2
  }
 ],
 "caseUrl": "https://whoisresponsible.xyz/case/case-72/"
}