AgustaWestland row: Tyagi admits to have financial interest in three companies

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is grilling former IAF chief S.P. Tyagi in connection with the AgustaWestland case, today said that he has admitted to have financial interest in three companies-Banshi, Anuras and Shavan - involved in the controversial Rs. 3,600 crore chopper deal. The agency further stated that Tyagi has accepted that he met COO of Finmeccanica Zapa in 2005 in India. The intelligence agency also said the former IAF chief and his wife are the owners of the three companies in addition to a fourth company- Meghanshu - and added that all the four companies are based in Noida. According to CBI sources, the agency is looking into Tyagi's international trips especially after his retirement. The CBI has called Tyagi for questioning again tomorrow. The investigating agency has alleged that the reduction of the service ceiling, maximum height at which a helicopter can perform normally, allowed the UK-based firm to get into the fray as otherwise its helicopters were not even qualified for submission of bids. Tyagi has so far denied the allegations levelled against him and claimed that the decision to reduce the ceiling was taken by a group of senior officials. The former IAF chief has also been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with this case. The Enforcement Directorate, which is also likely to summon the former IAF chief's cousins for questioning on May 6, is likely to grill Tyagi as part of its money laundering probe on the chopper deal a day before.