New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS): A court here has allowed managing director and chief executive officer of IDS Infotech Ltd. (India) Pratap Krishan Aggarwal, an accused in the AgustaWestland chopper deal case, to travel abroad, sources said on Monday.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Ajay Kumar Jain allowed Aggarwal to go abroad to Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, the US, Canada and Denmark from October 12 to November 9, court sources said.
Aggarwal had sought court permission to travel abroad submitting that the chargesheet in the case had still not been filed and he never misused the permission granted for travelling abroad earlier.
The CBI opposed the plea, saying the investigation of the case was at a crucial stage and Aggarwal may tamper with the evidence.
There is every possibility that the applicant accused may not return to India and join the investigation, the probe agency added.
The court while granting permission to Aggarwal directed him to submit the address of his stay. It also directed Aggarwal neither to tamper with the evidence nor try to influence any witness in any manner.
The CBI on March 13, 2013 registered a first information report against former Indian Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi and others in the chopper deal case.
Firms Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland, IDS Infotech Ltd (India) and Aeromatrix India were also booked as accused in the case.
Bribery allegations in the Rs.3,600 crore deal for 12 AW-101 choppers were being probed by the central investigating agency.