Indian minister and Ratan Tata may give evidence in Finmeccanica trial

BUSTO ARSIZIO: Indian defence minister A K Antony, former UK defence minister and ex-chairman of Tata Group have been lined up as witnesses in a trial of former bosses of Italy's Finmeccanica over corruption in a helicopter deal with India.

The trial has raised the prospect that Finmeccanica could be blacklisted in India, the world's largest arms importer and an important growth market for the state-owned aerospace and defense group.

A judge in the northern Italian city of Busto Arsizio cleared more than 80 people as possible witnesses on Monday, including businessman Ratan N Tata and former British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. Those cleared, however, may not be called to testify.

Prosecutors have accused ex-Finmeccanica Chairman Giuseppe Orsi of paying bribes to intermediaries to secure a $742.81 million deal in 2010 when he was head of AgustaWestland, the Finmeccanica unit that sold the helicopters.

Former CEO of AgustaWestland Bruno Spagnolini is being tried alongside Orsi on the same charges. Both deny wrongdoing.

Defense lawyers requested Hoon and Tata to be admitted as witnesses to provide evidence on the defense industry in India.

Antony was being called to give testimony on the tendering process in India.

Antony, who has a corruption-free image that sets him apart from many Indian politicians, was defense minister when the Indian Air Force awarded the contract to AgustaWestland.

He is believed to favour blacklisting the firm but could be outvoted by cabinet colleagues who worry it could hamper defense purchases in the future, several government sources said.

The next hearing in the trial will be on Sept 17.