VVIP Chopper case: Court reserve order on Michel's bail plea

A Delhi court Wednesday reserved for December 22 its order on the bail plea of Christian Michel, alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, and sent him to judicial custody till December 28.

Michel was produced before Special Judge Arvind Kumar on expiry of his 4-day CBI custody where the probe agency said that he was not required for further custodial interrogation.

He was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on December 4. The next day, he was produced before the court, which allowed his five-day custodial interrogation by the CBI. It was extended by five more days, and later for another four days.

In his bail application, the accused told the court through his advocate Aljo K Joseph that he was cooperating with the investigation throughout last several years and also during his 14 day CBI custody, which ended today.

He told the court that CBI was carrying out the proceeding against him with the same facts and the same accusations that the Italian Court had arrived at a finding of acquittal.

The accused also sought leniency from the court on the ground that he was suffering from dyslexia.

CBI counsel D P Singh opposed the application saying the accused was very influential and was capable of hampering the probe, and added that there was not enough material from the Indian side before the Italian court.

"Neither there was enough material from Indian side, nor help was sought from or given by the Indian authorities. They were prosecuted and convicted earlier but later got acquitted only on technicalities. The foreign court order will not hold in Indian courts. It considers all the conspiracy, offence, but does not reach any conclusion," he said.

He added that the accused was facing prosecution in Italy, UK and India.

"He did not join probe in these countries but issued press statement which was all propaganda. He was unreachable. He has not come here by himself but has been brought," the CBI said, adding that dyslexia had nothing to do with bail.

In the bail application, the accused claimed: "The CBI questioned the accused at Dubai for more than four hours in February 2017 and in June 2018 on three occasions. During this interrogation, the accused had already handed over sufficient documents and materials to the officials. This shows the complete cooperation of the accused/applicant towards the investigation process.

"Even after landing in India, during these days of CBI's custodial interrogation, the accused has fully cooperated and is still ready to cooperate while he is enlarged on bail."