<p>Defence Minister A K Antony today said "somebody has taken money" in the controversial AgustaWestland helicopter deal and no mercy would be shown to those involved.<br /><br /></p>.<p>He also said that CBI is "vigorously" pursuing the matter. "My commitment to Parliament stands. I do feel somebody has taken money. The enquiry is at a crucial stage. We will not show mercy to anybody and will take action, however, powerful he may be," he told reporters here when he was asked about the AgustaWestland deal.<br /><br />"Please wait for some more time. There is no doubt very strict action would be taken against those involved," he said.<br /><br />CBI, lead probe agency in the case, had received some more crucial documents from the Defence Ministry and Italy in connection with the Rs 3,600-crore deal. The documents, carrying details of money trail, have been shared with the Enforcement Directorate.<br /><br />The agency has already registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) against 11 people, including former IAF chief S P Tyagi, his three cousins, European middlemen and four companies.<br /><br />All the suspects have refuted the allegations. In its PE, registered to probe alleged kickbacks in the 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland deal, CBI is looking into the role of some middlemen suspected to have influenced the deal in favour of the Italian company.<br /><br />The agency suspects that a portion of Rs 362 crore bribe was allegedly routed to Indian nationals, through Tunisia and Mauritius, camouflaged as payments for engineering contracts to Chandigarh-based--IDS Infotech and Aeromatrix. Both companies had denied involvement in the bribery scandal.<br /><br />CBI is likely to send judicial requests to UK, Italy, Mauritius and Tunisia seeking information about financial transactions carried out by accused in the deal.</p>
<p>Defence Minister A K Antony today said "somebody has taken money" in the controversial AgustaWestland helicopter deal and no mercy would be shown to those involved.<br /><br /></p>.<p>He also said that CBI is "vigorously" pursuing the matter. "My commitment to Parliament stands. I do feel somebody has taken money. The enquiry is at a crucial stage. We will not show mercy to anybody and will take action, however, powerful he may be," he told reporters here when he was asked about the AgustaWestland deal.<br /><br />"Please wait for some more time. There is no doubt very strict action would be taken against those involved," he said.<br /><br />CBI, lead probe agency in the case, had received some more crucial documents from the Defence Ministry and Italy in connection with the Rs 3,600-crore deal. The documents, carrying details of money trail, have been shared with the Enforcement Directorate.<br /><br />The agency has already registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) against 11 people, including former IAF chief S P Tyagi, his three cousins, European middlemen and four companies.<br /><br />All the suspects have refuted the allegations. In its PE, registered to probe alleged kickbacks in the 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland deal, CBI is looking into the role of some middlemen suspected to have influenced the deal in favour of the Italian company.<br /><br />The agency suspects that a portion of Rs 362 crore bribe was allegedly routed to Indian nationals, through Tunisia and Mauritius, camouflaged as payments for engineering contracts to Chandigarh-based--IDS Infotech and Aeromatrix. Both companies had denied involvement in the bribery scandal.<br /><br />CBI is likely to send judicial requests to UK, Italy, Mauritius and Tunisia seeking information about financial transactions carried out by accused in the deal.</p>