Italian defence giant head arrested for India bribes: Reports

New Delhi, 12 Feb 2013 (Reuters): Italy has not shared details of a corruption probe into the sale of helicopters to the Indian government, the Indian foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after the arrest of Finmeccanica’s head Giuseppe Orsi in Italy.

 

"We had asked the government of Italy through our mission in Rome for details of the investigation but were told that it is a judicial process and the government of Italy is unable to share any information," foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said. "That remains the position even today."

 

India’s defence ministry said it could not immediately comment.

 

The 560 million euros ($735 million) deal was to sell 12 high-security AgustaWestland choppers for use by India’s political leaders. The first helicopters were due to be delivered by December 2012.

 

Italian police on Tuesday arrested the chief executive of aerospace and defence giant Finmeccanica for corruption and embezzlement in relation to alleged bribes given to the Indian government, Italian media reported.