Former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday in connection with his alleged involvement in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam. He arrived for questioning at the agency’s headquarters in Delhi at 10 am. The investigative body, which received a copy of the Milan Court of Appeals’ order, has prepared a new questionnaire to interrogate Tyagi, PTI reported.

The CBI had registered a case against Tyagi and 13 others, including his cousins and European middlemen, in the case, after the court order revealed details of how helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland and its parent company Finmeccanica bribed Indian officials to secure the deal. The former IAF chief had allegedly brought down the flying ceiling of the choppers – the maximum height at which a helicopter can function normally – from 6,000m to 4,500m so AgustaWestland could be included in the bids, without which its helicopters were not qualified to submit tenders.

Tyagi, who was questioned in the case earlier as well, has refuted all claims and said that a group of senior officials had made the decision to reduce the flying ceiling. This is the first time he is being questioned following the Italian court’s order. According to the verdict of the Milan appellate court, Tyagi and his cousins met several AgustaWestland officials during his term as IAF chief. His cousins have also been summoned by the CBI.