AgustaWestland Case: Indian Court Extends Custody Of British Businessman Christian Michel

An Indian court extended custody of British businessman, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper scam, Christian Michel to another five days on Monday (10).

The court last week remanded Michel in the custody of India’s federal investigation agency, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The CBI informed the court that Michel was not cooperating with the ongoing investigation into the case and was evasive in giving answers.

Michel has also filed a new bail application withdrawing his earlier petition for bail.

The UK national Michel was extradited from UAE after necessary legal proceedings on December 4. He is one among the three middlemen being investigated by Indian investigators in AgustaWestland chopper case.

India’s federal law enforcement and economic intelligence agency the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he received Rs 2.25bn from the firm, AgustaWestland.

Michel is one among the three middlemen being investigated in the case, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, by the ED and CBI.

Both the CBI and the ED had notified an Interpol red corner notice against Michel earlier.

India on January 1, 2014, had scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica’s British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force (IAF) on an alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 4.23bn by it for securing the agreement.

The federal probe agency CBI has alleged that there was an estimated loss of Rs 26.66bn to the exchequer in the deal that was agreed on February 8, 2010, to supply VVIP choppers worth €556.262m.