Under relentless attack over the Uttarakhand crisis, the BJP on Wednesday countered the Congress by raking up the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam, in which the names of the party top brass, including its president Sonia Gandhi, has also cropped up.Hitting back at the ruling party, the Congress also rejected the allegations against Mrs Gandhi and Dr Singh, saying that “we reject it with the contempt they deserve”. Mr Sharma also claimed that a businessman “close to” Mr Modi had entered into an MoU with AgustaWestland, but he refused to name him. The BJP’s Kirit Somaiya will raise it in the Lok Sabha, while another BJP member will bring it up in the Rajya Sabha.On January 1, 2014, India had scrapped the contract with AgustaWestland to supply 12 AW101 VVIP helicopters to the Indian Air Force over allegations of kickbacks by it for securing the deal..The CBI has, meanwhile, approached the external affairs ministry seeking the help of diplomatic channels to get a copy of the Italian court’s ruling in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal. Let them take my name, I am not afraid, says Congress president Sonia Gandhi on AugustaWestland issue.“No one should make loose comments (about) the Congress president and the former PM, whose integrity and intellect was never in question,” Congress’ Rajya Sabha deputy leader Anand Sharma said.

Chidambaram has been questioned.However, Sonia Gandhi rejected allegations linking her and party leaders in the AgustaWestland chopper deal bribes and said she is not ‘afraid’ of being ‘cornered’ on the issue.Media reports said an Italian court ruling stated how the firm lobbied with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her close aides, besides then NSA M. Antony, to name the party leaders allegedly involved in the scandal. “When the primary allegation came out in the media, we immediately ordered a CBI inquiry.Congress President Sonia Gandhi was described as the 'driving force' behind the copter deal.5 years in jail for false accounting and corruption in the sale of 12 VVIP helicopters to India for over Rs 3,600 crores, while former CEO of Finmeccanica’s helicopter subsidiary AgustaWestland, Bruno Spagnolini, has been handed a four-year sentence.Here are the live updates:12 pm: We have nothing to hide. He said the BJP had been making irresponsible statements and wild allegations and the Congress was not going to accept this.”10 am: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge says, “We are ready to discuss AgustaWestland issue in Parliament.The Milan court of appeals, which overturned a lower court’s order, sentenced Finmeccanica’s former chief Giuseppe Orsi to 4.10:30 am: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says, “There is no case, my party will respond. He also asked the government why it had removed AgustaWestland from the blacklist it had been put by the UPA government. The then UPA government had also barred Finmeccanica and its group companies from taking part in any new defence contract bidding.

Mr Antony asked the Narendra Modi government to fast track the probe into the scam and find out the truth as the UPA government had cancelled the contract and ordered a CBI investigation into it.11:35 am: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm minutes after uproar by the Congress members when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy speaks on AugustaWestland scam.”The ruing party will also raise issues like Ishrat brass faucet aerator Jahan case and Aircel-Maxis deal to target the Congress within Parliament and outside. Mrs Gandhi was described as the “driving force” behind the deal in these court papers.K. We won the case and got back all the money we paid in advance by bank guarantee,” Mr Antony said. Are they from your party or not Please come clean,” the minister said. BJP MP Anurag Thakur will raise it in the Lok Sabha, and Bhupender Yadav will bring it up in the Rajya Sabha."I am not afraid of anyone cornering me as there is no basis to that.Attacking the Congress over the VVIP helicopter scam, communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asked the defence minister in the Manmohan Singh government, Mr A. Mr Chidambaram has been accused of changing the affidavit to conceal Ishrat’s alleged terrorist links. Chidambaram is also likely to come under attack by the BJP over the affidavits filed in the Ishrat Jahan case. Why are the bribe-takers silent Antony should answer if the leaders of the Congress are involved or not. We cancelled the contract and fought the case in the Milan court