NEW DELHI, Feb 17 � Alleged middleman Guido Haschke had �cleaned up� all the documents from his computer related to the VVIP chopper deal mired in allegations of kickbacks, it was revealed today, as an Indian team was set to leave for Italy tomorrow to gather evidence in the bribery case, reports PTI.
But to Haschke�s misfortune the documents were retrieved from his computer hard drive along with other papers he had hidden at his mother�s home.
According to reports in the Italian media, the investigators termed the information found in his computer drives as a �Pandora�s box� where he has noted details of his appointments, his meetings with Indian intermediaries, in Italy and Lugano and several international transactions including that of Finmeccanica.
These documents are being used by the prosecutors in the Italian court Tribunale de Busto Arsizio to build their case in fixing responsibilties of several accused including former Finmeccanica chief Giuseppe Orsi for allegedly paying Rs 360 crore in kickbacks to bag the Rs 3,600 crore deal, reports in Italian daily Republica suggested.
�He thought he had deleted everything, buried every track on the big business on behalf of Finmeccanica. He had �cleaned up� all his computer and he felt calm,� the daily said quoting the Italian investigators� report.
It said the prosecutors in the court Busto Arsizio recovered the �computer hard drives of Haschke where the intermediary had recorded the whole story about the sale of helicopters and other business�.
A team of CBI and Defence Ministry officials is leaving for Italy tomorrow to verify allegations of kickbacks.
Official sources said the team comprises a CBI DIG, a law officer of the agency, a Joint Secretary-level officer of Defence Ministry and an official of the External Affairs Ministry.