NEW DELHI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Indian premier investigating agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested former air force chief S.P. Tyagi and two others in AgustaWestland helicopter deal over allegations of bribery, officials said Saturday.
The trio was Saturday produced in a local court in New Delhi, which formally granted their custody to the investigating agency for four days.
The other two include Tyagi's cousin Sanjiv Tyagi and a Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan.
Investigators say they have enough evidence that the men had received kickbacks for the deal and extended undue favors to Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland.
The deal is related to purchase of 12 luxury helicopters from the company in 2010 during Congress party rule.
The luxury helicopters were intended to carry Indian president, prime minister and other top leaders.
In March 2013, Indian authorities filed a criminal case against the firm and its parent company Finmeccanica.
The 71-year-old Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning by CBI at their office along with the other two on Friday. Reports said the questioning went on for over four hours after which they were arrested.
Tyagi is the first Indian air force chief, acting or retired to be arrested in a bribery case. The former air force chief has previously denied charges against him.
India's defence ministry cancelled the 750-million-U.S. dollar helicopter deal in 2014 after allegations that the company has paid kickbacks to Indian officials and politicians. The ministry announced it would carry out its own investigation into the deal.
Reports said Tyagi has been accused by investigators in Italy and India of abusing his official position to push the contract in favor of Finnmeccanica.
India received three of the helicopters before the deal was cancelled and delivery of the remaining nine was stopped.
