Meanwhile, the Italian court Tribunale de Busto Arsizio will begin the hearing of the helicopter scam on Monday in which Orsi and AgustaWestland CEO Spagnolini have been arrested. Both were arrested in the early part of the week by the Italian police in connection with the Rs 362-crore kickbacks scam for supplying 12 AW-101 choppers to India. The company has already supplied three choppers to India which are based at the Hindan air base near here. The Defence Ministry has put on hold the delivery of the remaining nine choppers expected to have been delivered by the middle of next years. It has also stopped further payments to AgustaWestland for the remaining nine helicopters. The Defence Ministry has said that even at this stage, India can get back its money with interest.
