AgustaWestland scam: Approver names Kamal Nath's son, other Congress leaders

Saxena, who was extradited from Dubai in January last year, was interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). In his statement, that runs over 1,000 pages, he detailed how alleged kickbacks from the AgustaWestland deal came through two companies.

These two companies are Saxena's Interstellar Technologies and Global Services, which is owned by Christian Michel.

Michel remains in jail after being extradited in December 2018.

As per the latest supplementary charge-sheet filed by CBI on September 17, Saxena acquired 99.9% shares of Interstellar Technologies in 2000.

Citing Letters Rogatory from Italy and Mauritius, CBI said AgustaWestland transferred €12.40 million in the company's account.

This money was "routed/laundered for paying the middlemen and suspected public servants involved in the case."

Besides Saxena, his aide Gautam Khaitan was also named.

Tellingly, Saxena's statement seems to confirm CBI's allegations.

He told ED that payoffs "were for the benefit of political leaders and bureaucrats who were in a position of influencing the decision at that point in time. Some of these funds were once again, directly or indirectly, through structured transactions, and some of the structures set up by me were routed into investments in India."

He also told ED that Khaitan, and another co-accused defense dealer Sushen Mohan Gupta, would casually drop names of known politicians to hint at the power they enjoy.

"They often mentioned the names of Salman Khurshid and Kamal uncle which I deduce was a reference to Mr. Kamal Nath," he reportedly said.

Saxena, a CA by profession, admitted that Interstellar Technologies received the money.

Bakul Nath's involvement came to the fore when Saxena mentioned a company named Pristine River Investments. According to him, one John Docherty managed the company for Nath Jr.

"Indirectly funds from Interstellar Technologies and Global Services were used to repay the loans from Pristine River Investments," he told ED.

Soon, after the alleged connection surfaced, MP's ex-CM denied any wrongdoing by his son.

Nath said his son is a Dubai-based NRI.

"I had heard about him being described as the Beneficial Owner of Pristine River and when I spoke to my son, he said he knew nothing about the company. There are no documents or bank accounts that prove a connection to him," he said.

He also distanced himself from companies and transactions of nephew Ratul Puri.

Khurshid also denied any wrongdoing but added that Gupta's father Dev Mohan Gupta is a close family friend.

"Besides knowing him well, I do not know or have any connection with other persons named in the case like Ratul Puri or Rajiv Saxena," the senior Congress leader said.

Separately, Ratul Puri claimed he wasn't involved in any defense deal.