A Delhi court on Saturday allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to quiz Christian Michel, alleged 'middleman' in AgustaWestland case, as a witness in a separate defence deal case.
Special CBI judge Arvind Kumar has allowed the CBI to examine Michel as a witness in the case on December 5 and 6 inside the Tihar Jail where he is lodged for his alleged involvement in AgustaWestland defence deal case.
The probe agency had sought the court's permission to probe Michel in a corruption case against Brigadier VS Saini, the then officer-in-charge of the trial team of the proposed procurement of 197 Reconnaissance and Surveillance (R & S) helicopters for the Indian Armed Forces Army Aviation and Air Force in 2008.
According to CBI, Saini allegedly abused his official position and allowed AgustaWestland, which was one of the three bidders, to participate in the evaluation trials of helicopters. He allegedly wrote a letter to Weapon and Equipment Directorate in favour of the company.
The CBI said that questioning of Michel will help to unearth facts related to demand of US dollar 5 million by Saini for releasing the Field Technical Report in favour of AgustaWestland.
The agency also cited an unsigned memorandum that was recovered during the searches in 2010 by Swiss authorities.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app