VVIP chopper case: CBI custody of Christian Michel extended by four days

A Delhi court on Saturday extended by four days the CBI custody of Christian Michel, alleged middleman charge-sheeted and arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case.

The 57-year-old British national was produced before Special Judge Arvind Kumar. The probe agency told the judge that Michel needs to be confronted with various documents in the case and had sought further custody of for five days.

It also said that the accused was required to be taken to the premises of Pawan Hans India Ltd in Mumbai to verify his version of his alleged attempted negotiations to buy back WG-30 helicopters, to identify the shipper and to confront the officials of Pawan Hans India.

The agency said that voluminous documents have been received from various countries pursuant to the 'Letter of Requests' and the accused was yet to be confronted with a number of them.

The defence counsel opposed the CBI application for further remand saying already enough time was granted to the agency and nothing incriminating was found against accused.

"Keeping in view the facts and circumstances, submissions mad by the parties, I deem it fit to grant further four days PC remand of the accused. Accordingly, the accused is remanded to PC for four days," the judge said.

Michel was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on December 4.

The next day, he was produced in the court which allowed his five-day custodial interrogation by the CBI which was later extended by five more days.

Michel is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

Both the agencies notified an Interpol red corner notice (RCN) against him after the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

The CBI has alleged there was an estimated loss of Euro 398.21 million (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth Euro 556.262 million.

The ED, in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he received EUR 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland.