AgustaWestland case: Christian Michel sent to judicial custody till Dec 28

Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal, was sent to judicial custody till December 28 by a Delhi court on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Michel's counsel Aljo K Joseph claimed that his client was suffering from dyslexia even as a Delhi court reserved its order for December 22 on his bail plea.

"He (Michel) has become weak since he was also in custody in Dubai for five months on Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) request. We are ready for any condition of bail. You have already granted bail to other accused. CBI had questioned him five times in Dubai and for 15 days in Delhi. He is suffering from dyslexia, and he has been asked to write in cursive writing," said Joseph.

During the hearing at Patiala House Court, the CBI opposed Michel's bail plea, arguing that he knows certain facts, which put him in a position to influence the investigation. Joseph claimed that Michel was cooperating in the investigation, and hence, is liable to be granted bail.

Michel arrived in New Delhi on December 5 after being extradited to India from Dubai. He was later sent to CBI custody.

The AgustaWestland chopper deal, finalised during the previous Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, had got mired in allegations of kickbacks. The 54-year-old Michel is an accused in the case along with some others including former Air Chief SP Tyagi.

According to the Enforcement Directorate charge sheet filed in a court here two years back, Michel had received kickbacks to the tune of 30 million Euros from AgustaWestland for the deal involving a purchase of 12 VIP helicopters. The deal, signed in 2007, was scrapped in 2013 following the bribery allegations.