New Delhi, May 4 : The BJP on Wed suspected the previous UPA govt of tweaking norms in the method of procuring VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland.

Initiating a debate in the Rajya Sabha on “allegations of bribery and corruption” within AgustaWestland deal, BJP MP Bhupendra Yadav added that competition was restricted by changing the altitude norms for procurement of the chopper.

Yadav cited the CAG report and alleged that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government “lower downed the altitude (norms) from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres and passed the way to the operational necesscities, service quality requirement to support AgustaWestland.”

“The fact that by making the cabin’s height 1.8 meters as necessary requirement, the competition was restricted, and this led to a single vendor scene for acquisition of AgustaWestlend,” Yadav explained.

He added the defence procurement process should be made very clear.

The multi-cr-rupee scam resurfaced last month when the names of some Congress leaders, including party chief Sonia Gandhi, were said to have figured within a judgment by an Italian court.

AgustaWestland was alleged to have paid Rs.375 cr. as bribe to confirm the Rs.3,700-crore contract to provide 12 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force. The deal for purchase of helicopters for the usage of VVIPs was signed during 2010. The previous UPA government scrapped the deal over amounts of kickbacks.