Controversy erupts over Congress connection of Michel's counsel

A controversy erupted on Wednesday after a Congress activist appeared as a counsel for British national Christian Michel in a CBI court in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case.

The row started after Suresh Nakhua, Spokesperson of the BJP's Mumbai unit, tweeted that Aljo K Joseph, who appeared for the Michel, was national incharge of the legal department of Indian Youth Congress.

"Any guesses who is lawyer for Christian Michel? Mr Aljo K Joseph, National incharge, legal department, Indian Youth Congress (Youth wing of Cong led by out on bail Rahul Gandhi)," he tweeted.

Soon after, In-charge of BJP's national Information and Technology department Amit Malviya tweeted: "Meet the Congressman who is going to defend AgustaWestland 'middleman' Christian Michel... Does it get more obvious than that?."

Reacting to it, Joseph accepted that he was associated with the Congress but clarified that he appeared in the case in his personal and professional capacity.

"I am an advocate and appeared in my personal capacity. If somebody asks me to appear on his behalf, I have discharged only my duty as a lawyer. This has nothing to do with Congress. My relationship with Congress is separate and my professional relation is separate," Joseph said.

--IANS

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