An Italian appeals court on Monday acquitted two former Leonardo executives over a bribery case related to a large 2010 helicopter contract to the Indian government.

Giuseppe Orsi, former chief executive of the state-controlled defence group, formerly known as Finmeccanica, and Bruno Spagnolini, once at the head of helicopter unit AgustaWestland, were cleared of charges as &quot;there isn&#39;t sufficient proof&quot;, according to the sentence read out in court.

In December 2016, Italy&#39;s highest court had ordered a re-trial of the case, after the former executives of the Rome-based group were found guilty on corruption charges related to a 560 million euros ($672 million) contract to supply a dozen helicopters to New Delhi.

A judge earlier that year had sentenced Orsi to four and a half years in prison for corruption and falsifying invoices and Spagnolini to four years in jail.

Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini were cleared of charges as 'there isn't sufficient proof'

An Italian appeals court on Monday acquitted two former Leonardo executives over a bribery case related to a large 2010 helicopter contract to the Indian government. Giuseppe Orsi, former chief executive of the state-controlled defence group, formerly known as Finmeccanica, and Bruno Spagnolini, once at the head of helicopter unit AgustaWestland, were cleared of charges as "there isn't sufficient proof", according to the sentence read out in court. In December 2016, Italy's highest court had ordered a re-trial of the case, after the former executives of the Rome-based group were found guilty on corruption charges related to a 560 million euros ($672 million) contract to supply a dozen helicopters to New Delhi. A judge earlier that year had sentenced Orsi to four and a half years in prison for corruption and falsifying invoices and Spagnolini to four years in jail.

Italian appeals court acquits 2 in AgustaWestland case

Italy&#39;s highest court on Friday ordered a retrial of former top executives at defence group Leonardo Finmeccanica over allegations of bribery in a 2010 contract to provide a dozen helicopters to the Indian government.

In April a Milan appeals court sentenced former Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi to four and a half years in prison for corruption and falsifying invoices, overturning a previous lower court ruling.

Bruno Spagnolini, former head of the group&#39;s helicopter unit AgustaWestland, was sentenced to four years in jail over the &euro;560 million ($585 million) contract. The case went to the highest court after the two executives launched an appeal. Both executives will now have to be tried again in front of Milan&#39;s appeals court.

Last week India&#39;s federal police arrested the former head of the air force SP Tyagi, 71, who was at the centre of allegations of impropriety in the order of 12 helicopters meant to fly senior Indian politicians. The deal was cancelled in 2014 after Orsi was arrested on suspicion of paying bribes to secure the deal.

AgustaWestland opposed India&#39;s decision to cancel the order and the contract is currently suspended and the subject of international arbitration in Paris.

The case against Finmeccanica itself was dropped by prosecutors back in 2014 while AgustaWestland agreed on a &euro;7.5 million settlement with the court the same year.

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(Reuters)

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Top executives of the group were mired in allegations of bribery in a 2010 contract to provide a dozen helicopters to the Indian government

Italy's highest court on Friday ordered a retrial of former top executives at defence group Leonardo Finmeccanica over allegations of bribery in a 2010 contract to provide a dozen helicopters to the Indian government. In April a Milan appeals court sentenced former Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi to four and a half years in prison for corruption and falsifying invoices, overturning a previous lower court ruling. Bruno Spagnolini, former head of the group's helicopter unit AgustaWestland, was sentenced to four years in jail over the €560 million ($585 million) contract. The case went to the highest court after the two executives launched an appeal. Both executives will now have to be tried again in front of Milan's appeals court. Last week India's federal police arrested the former head of the air force SP Tyagi, 71, who was at the centre of allegations of impropriety in the order of 12 helicopters meant to fly senior Indian politicians. The deal was cancelled in 2014 after Orsi was arrested on suspicion of paying bribes to secure the deal. AgustaWestland opposed India's decision to cancel the order and the contract is currently suspended and the subject of international arbitration in Paris. The case against Finmeccanica itself was dropped by prosecutors back in 2014 while AgustaWestland agreed on a €7.5 million settlement with the court the same year. (Reuters)

AgustaWestland chopper scam: Italy top court orders retrial of ex-Finmeccanica executives

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