Won't spare those guilty in chopper scam: Antony
February 13, 2013  10:31
Defence Minister AK Antony on Wednesday said that the government will take strict action on the guilty, if any, after the CBI submits its report on the alleged scam in the $750 million deal for 12 VVIP AgustaWestland helicopters. 

The government had ordered a CBI probe, yesterday, hours after the arrest of the chief of AgustaWestlands parent company -- Italy's Finmeccanica on corruption charges in the contract. 

Speaking to reporters, Antony said, "I am not the judge, yesterday only I ordered a CBI enquiry and we have conveyed to the CBI our request for an early enquiry. I can assure you that the moment we get the report from the CBI we will take the strong action." 

The Defence Minister said that strong checks have been incorporated into the integrity pact which has to be mandatorily signed by defence equipment manufacturers before they sign a deal with Indian government. 

"I don't want to jump into conclusions. At any stage of the probe if anybody is found guilty in any stage of the deal we will take action, no one will be spared. We are not bothered how influential the companies are but everything depends on CBI enquiry. Whoever is guilty, Indians or foreigners, will be punished, nobody will be spared," he said. 
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