Kamal Nath's nephew asked to join probe in AgustaWestland case

Businessman Ratul Puri has been called by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to join the AgustaWestland money laundering case, the enforcement agency told a court here on Wednesday.

Ratul Puri is the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal of Rs 3,600 crore got mired in controversy following the alleged exchange of kickbacks.

It is believed that bribes were paid to the "middlemen" when India agreed to purchase 12 AgustaWestland helicopters built by an Italian defence manufacturing company.

In December last year, Dubai-based businessman Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the deal, was extradited to India and lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail.

Last week, Tihar jail authorities had submitted a report in the Patiala House Court, denying that Michel was kept in solitary confinement.

The court had also allowed Michel's counsel Aljo K Joseph to meet him for a legal interview and return if required.