VVIP chopper case: CBI seeks further custody of Michel for five more days

Christian Michel was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on December 4

The CBI Saturday urged a Delhi court to grant it further custody of Christian Michel, alleged middleman charge-sheeted and arrested in the graft-tainted AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, for five more days.

The 57-year-old British national was produced before Special Judge Arvind Kumar. The probe agency told the judge he needs to be confronted with various documents in the case.

The court is likely to pronounce an order on his further custody shortly.

Michel was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on December 4.

The next day, he was produced before the court which allowed his five-day custodial interrogation by the CBI which was later extended to five more days.

Michel is one of the three middlemen being probed in the case, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, by the ED and the CBI. Both the agencies notified an Interpol red corner notice (RCN) against him after the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

The CBI has alleged there was an estimated loss of Euro 398.21 million (about Rs 26.6 billion) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth Euro 556.262 million.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he received EUR 30 million (about Rs 2.25 billion) from AgustaWestland.