Asked about former Air Chief S P Tyagi's claim that during the NDA government in 2003 the requirements for the chopper were changed, Prasad said, "The NDA government did not order supply of the choppers. No commission was paid and no choppers were bought."

Since Tyagi's name figures as one who swung the deal for bribes, Prasad said his statement should be "taken with a pinch of salt". Accusing the government of not initiating any inquiry in the Augusta Westland helicopter deal in spite of serious allegations in public domain for the last one year that commissions to the tune of Rs 350 Cr have been paid, Prasad said a very legitimate question arises because of the "highly suspicious circumstances" surrounding inaction and whether the company's Italian connection had to do something about it. "We all know how in the Bofors case the Congress government sought to bail out Quattrocchi (Italian businessman)," he said, adding the chopper deal had the "makings of a second Bofors scam". The main opposition also demanded that the helicopter deal should be reviewed and the supply of the remaining nine choppers should be stopped till all doubts are cleared. The Left parties also demanded scrapping of the deal in the wake of bribery charges and accused the government of failing to check "high level corruption" in defence deals in the past eight years. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said his party would raise the issue seeking government answers in Parliament in the coming session. CPI leader D Raja demanded blacklisting of the company and immediate prosecution of those who received kickbacks. SP spokesperson Kamal Farooqi demanded an investigation at the earliest, saying it looked like a "major scam" in the making. JD(U) Chief Sharad Yadav said scams keep happening and no steps are being taken to end corruption. (MORE)