AgustaWestland chopper scam: SC seeks CBI's status on probe against pvt Indian defence manufacturer firm

New Delhi, Dec 16 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought to know from the CBI the status of its investigation against a private Indian defence supply company allegedly linked to the AgustaWestland Chopper scam.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked the CBI to place before it the material it has since the suspension of the firm in June 2025 till December 2025.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by the Centre, challenging the decision of the Delhi High Court, which set aside suspension orders against the 'Defsys Solution Limited’.

Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj, appearing for the Centre, pointed out that the investigation was underway and the suspension orders were passed based on the findings of the probe.

The top court said that no material was placed before the high court regarding any bribery allegation or parking of money in the scam and it was just the suspicion of the agency on which the suspension orders were passed.

Natraj submitted that the courts should generally refrain from interfering in matters related to defence.

The bench said that there is no compromise with the defence of the country, but the probe agency cannot be allowed to improve its case, as no material was placed before the high court since 2021, when the investigation began against the company.

The CJI pointed out the high court order highlighted that the latest suspension order is based on a letter by the CBI which stated "material/evidence collected so far brings our apprehension that M/s Defsys Solution Pvt. Ltd. is involved in the suspicious transaction, which surfaced in the money trail of kickbacks/bribe transferred by the AgustaWestland Company…. The further investigation with regard to the role of M/s Defsys Solutions Pvt. Ltd. is continuing, thus in view as above the suspension of M/s Defsys Solutions Pvt. Ltd. may be extended." CJI Kant said that as of now, there is only suspicion of the company being a conduit for the primary accused AgustaWestland.

The ASG said that it was not a case of a single company and many other firms were under investigation.

Justice Bagchi asked Natraj that when it was submitted before the high court that the suspension against AugustaWestland had been withdrawn, why should the suspension continue against this company.

The ASG sought time to seek instructions from the CBI and file a detailed report on the nature and status of the investigation in the matter.

The CJI asked Natraj to place before the court whatever the agency has been able to gather in its investigation till now.

Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for the company, argued that for the past four years, the probe agency has only been saying there is 'new material' to show its involvement, but has failed to furnish anything.

"I am in the Aatma Nirbhar programme, my only dealings are with the government, I do not produce for anyone else. Neither I am an accused, nor am I named in any charge sheet. There is not a single iota of allegation on record to show that I am in any way involved," Kaul submitted.

The company had challenged the Centre's September 5, 2024, order of suspension with retrospective effect before the high court.

It has claimed that the order was passed without any show cause notice and was based on vague inputs.

The high court set aside the impugned suspension orders against the private company while noting that the suspension orders were passed without giving a hearing to the firm, and the fact that the company was not made an accused in the AgustaWestland case, and that the suspension order against AgustaWestland itself was withdrawn in November 2021. PTI MNL MNL RT RT