AgustaWestland case: Delhi court disallows Christian Michel's lawyer to meet him as legal aide

A Delhi court on Tuesday disallowed advocate Rosemary Patrizzi to hold a legal interview with Christian James Michel, an accused in the AgustaWestland case, as a legal aide in Tihar Jail, but allowed her to meet the latter as a friend as per prison rules.

Michel, the alleged middleman and accused in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case, was extradited from the UAE in December 2018.

Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar, after noting down all the submission, did not allow Patrizzi to have a legal interview with the accused as a legal advisor.

A foreign lawyer if intending to meet or visit the accused as a friend, same can be allowed as per Jail rules, the court said.

Advocate Aljo K Joseph, appearing for Michel, submitted that accused is a British citizen and does not have any near relatives or friends in India and sought that the accused may be allowed to meet his lawyers in jail during the period of his judicial custody so that the accused will be in a position to explain his case, which is very much necessary for his defence during the trial of the case.

It was also submitted that the accused is facing prosecution in different parts of the world and not all the cases are handled by Indian lawyers.

Earlier in February 2019, Patrizzi was allowed to meet Michel when she intended to meet him as a friend.

The court further noted that no details of cases pending outside India, regarding which the accused wants to have a discussion with a foreign lawyer, should take place during legal interviews which had been mentioned in the application.

Michel is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with alleged irregularities in the multi-crore chopper deal. While the CBI is probing his alleged role as a 'middleman' in the deal, the ED is investigating money laundering charges against him.