India Suspends AW101 Payments Over Bribery Probe

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flyvertosset Posted: Fri, Feb 15 2013 6:17 AM

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An order for AW101 helicopters is now the subject of corruption investigations in both India and Italy.

The Indian government has suspended further payments to AgustaWestland (AW) for the 12 AW101 VIP transport helicopters now in the process of delivery. The move follows the February 13 arrest in Italy of Giuseppi Orsi, chairman and chief executive of its parent group Finmeccanica (and former AW chief executive). The Finmeccanica board last night appointed the group’s COO and CFO Alessandro Pansa to serve as chief executive and has named senior board member Admiral Guido Venturoni as vice chairman. As of press time, no announcement had been made about the future of AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini, who was placed under house arrest on February 13.

Defense minister A.K. Anthony told an Indian television channel that the deal is on hold until an inquiry by the country’s Central Bureau of Investigation has reported. The order was placed in February 2010, with a reported value of $750 million. Three AW101s have been delivered, and the other nine were due in India by the end of this year.

The arrests came near the end of a general election campaign in Italy, during which alleged corporate corruption has been a big issue, and nearly a year after Italian authorities began probing allegations of illegal payments to Indian officials over the AW101 sale. Orsi has denied the allegations and has not been charged with any offense. Finmeccanica expressed support for him “with the hope that clarity is established quickly.”

Anthony told a February 13 press conference in Delhi: “We have blacklisted six companies in the past…the contract signed with AgustaWestland includes specific provisions against bribery and the use of undue influence as well as an integrity pact…whoever is found guilty will have to pay the price. Nobody will be spared.”

Source: AIN, Chris Pocock