AgustaWestland case: Jail authorities deny Michel's claim of losing 16kg

Tihar jail authorities on Monday told a Special CBI court that the contentions put forth by AgustaWestland "middleman" Christian Michel over a loss of 16 kilos in jail are false.

In the last hearing, Special CBI judge Arvind Kumar had directed jail authorities to file a reply on the allegations levelled by Michel.

The Dubai-based businessman had stated that he is being fed only boiled vegetables in jail, as a result of which he lost 16 kg.

Appearing before the court today, jail authorities, however, contended that Michel has lost only 1.2 kg since he was lodged in jail.

Denying the allegations that he is being fed only boiled vegetables, the jail authorities said, "Non-vegetarian food is not allowed as per jail rules. But he can buy fruits and cottage cheese from the canteen."

Following this, Special CBI judge Kumar directed the jail authorities to provide him with food as per the jail manual.

Tihar jail authorities also presented another accused in the Rs 3,600-crore VVIP chopper scam, Sushen Mohan Gupta, before the court as his judicial custody ended today. His judicial custody has now been extended till May 23.

Gupta was arrested on March 26 by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of money laundering. On April 20, the special court had dismissed his bail plea.

Michel, who was extradited from the UAE in December last year, is currently lodged in Tihar jail in connection with the CBI and ED cases against him related to the AgustaWestland deal.

While CBI is probing his alleged role as a "middleman" in the deal, ED is investigating money laundering charges against him.

The ED had, on April 4, filed a charge sheet against Michel in the court, in which it claimed to have traced the trail of 70 million Euros that had come allegedly in the form of "kickbacks" in the Rs 3600-crore VVIP chopper deal.