Prashant Bhushan drags Chhattisgarh CM’s son in Chopper scam
12 May, New Delhi
Expelled AAP leaders and Swaraj Abhiyan founders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav Thursday dragged Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh into the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam, accusing Singh and his son Abhishek of favouring AgustaWestland and buying choppers at higher prices.
Bhushan, alleging the involvement of Singh and his son Abhishek Singh in the multi-crore VVIP bribery scam, tols reporters that a virtual single vendor situation was created in the Agusta deal where only one product was promoted and brought with 30 per cent more compensation.
Bhushan alleged that in Chhattisgarh, another deal with Agusta took place in 2007, which has not been investigated by the Central Government, despite that it was brought to the notice of the Centre by a CAG report in 2011.Mr Bhushan claimed that the State government in 2005 issued a tender to buy A-109 power helicopter. It decided to buy the product from AgustaWestland at 5.5 million dollars.
The Italian firm advised the Chhattisgarh government to procure the helicopters from its Hong Kong-based subsidiary Sharp Ocean. However, the deal was struck at an inflated rate of 6.1 million dollars. The same helicopter was purchased by Jharkhand government at 5.5 millions dollars in 2006. Under fire from Opposition, the state government had then struck off the deal, only to re-purchase the product from the same firm at a re-inflated price of 6.5 million dollars.
Bhushan further alleged that 1.5 million dollars were paid as kickback for the deal to CM’s son Abhishek Singh. Linking the Chhattisgarh CM and his son to Panama papers, Bhushan claims to have found documents which purportedly shows Shark Oceans paying the commission amount to Abhishek Singh’s offshore entity Quest Heights Limited, located in British Virgin Islands.
“His name is registered as Abhishak Singh. That is probably a clerical mistake. But we have verified the address. It is the same address where the CM resides. Abhishek Singh is a major shareholder in that offshore firm. Both the firms have used UCB Bank for the transaction,” Bhushan said.
Demanding an investigation against the CM, Bhushan said,”no investigation has been made into the dishonest Chhattisgarh Agusta deal and opening of an account in the British Virgin Islands by the son of Chhattisgarh CM. ”
Earlier Mr Bhushan posted on his Twitter handle “As per ICIJ website, Abhishek Singh with add to Raman Medical Store at CM RAman Singh’s residence has foreign accts.”Denying the allegation Abhishek tweeted, “@pbhushan1 I categorically deny the allegations as fanse & untrue. I dont have any foreign a/c. All my Income & assets are lawful.”