Rajya Sabha passes motion to set up JPC on VVIP Chopper deal

New Delhi, February 27: The Congress-led UPA government on Wednesday proposed a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rs3,600-crore VVIP chopper deal.

VVIP chopper deal came into limelight with allegations of kickbacks in the 3,600 crore rupee in the deal.

It was alleged that kickbacks to the tune of 362 crore rupees were paid to help secure the deal in favour of the Anglo-Italian firm AugustaWestland.

Participating in the debate BJP leader Prakash Javdekar demanded a Supreme Court monitored time bound inquiry into the issue. JDU was also of the same view.

CPM member T K Rangarajan also sought a CBI inquiry into the issue and said that the Supreme Court should monitor it.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said there should be a joint parliamentary committee probe into the helicopter deal in addition to the Central Bureau of Investigation probe.

The CBI had on Monday registered a preliminary enquiry against 11 people, including former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi, and four companies, in the purchase of VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland.

Besides Tyagi, the inquiry names his cousins Sanjeev alias 'Julie' Tyagi, Docsa Tyagi, Sandeep Tyagi, advocate Gautam Khaitan, formerly associated with Aeromatrix, and the company's CEO, Praveen Bakshi.