AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel to be extradited to India


Dubai, Dec 4 (IANS): Christian James Michel, a British national and a middleman, has been extradited to India, a development that comes as a boost to Indian agencies investigating the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case.

The Gulf daily Khaleej Times reported that he had been taken to the Dubai International Airport for taking a flight to Delhi.

Official sources in Delhi indicated that Michel will land in India late in the night.


Christian James Michel

The action comes after the Court of Cassation here had in November upheld a lower court order which said that Michel could be extradited to India.

According to the report, Michel was kept under detention at the Dubai Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as per the Indian government's request. The extradition is undertaken in coordination with the Interpol and the CID.

Michel is one of three middlemen being probed in the case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the scam.

In January, the ED had lodged a request with the UAE authorities for extraditing Michel. Both the ED and the CBI had filed chargesheets in bribery cases in Indian courts and non-bailable warrants had been issued against the accused.

Last year, a Red Corner notice was issued against Michel by the Interpol on a request by the CBI. RCNs were also issued against two Italians involved in the scam -- Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke.

According to Indian investigative agencies, Michel had received at least Rs 235 crore for ensuring that the chopper contract went to AgustaWestland. He was a frequent visitor to India, having undertaken 300 trips to this country between 1997 and 2013.

The ED officials earlier had said that bribes to Michel were paid through a web of companies located abroad and in India on the pretext of payment for consultancy work. Michel also used his Dubai-based firm Global Services FZE as a conduit for money.

In its chargesheet, the CBI had named former Indian Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie, then IAF Vice Chief J.S. Gujral and advocate Gautam Khaitan as the four Indians involved in the scam.

The chargesheet mentioned Khaitan as the "brain" behind the deal.

Others named in the chargesheet included Giuseppe Orsi, the former chief of Italian defence and aerospace major Finmeccanica, and Bruno Spagnolini, former CEO of AgustaWestland, apart from middlemen Michel, Haschke and Gerosa.

On January 1, 2014, India cancelled the contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and on charges of paying kickbacks amounting to Rs 423 crore.

The CBI, which registered an FIR in the case on March 12, 2013, had alleged that Tyagi and the other accused received kickbacks from AgustaWestland to help it win the contract.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Katapadi/Bangalore

    Wed, Dec 05 2018

    Rafael case to be investigated on priority without allowing any scope for dragging the judgment.

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Dec 05 2018

    Let's complete Rafael First ...

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Jenifer, Mangalore

    Wed, Dec 05 2018

    Oh Bhakhths, please be patient, let the man say at-least one word - don't speculate all by yourself.

    Luckily, your Saint Modi has a bucketful to talk abou, about Rafale deal that he is keeping pending to blabber after Christian Michel's revelation comes to the open. Till then, he too is contemplating, why you guys are jumping guns ?

    As for the involvement of Gandhi family members, we the Congress supporters too are anxious. Well, if she is accused of misdeed and proved a culprit, trust me, we will demand punitive actions. We don't say 'hum kere to chamatkar' like you guys do.

    Reply Report Abuse

  • mahesh, mangalore

    Wed, Dec 05 2018

    Good news.

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Nithin Poojary, Mangalore

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Modi failed to extradite Mallya
    Modi failed to extradite Nirav Modi
    Modi failed to extradite Mehul Chowski
    Modi failed to extradite Lalit Modi

    But successful in extraditing Christian Michel

    What does this mean?

    Modi doesn’t have any justification for Rafael Scam- This is the only way Modi can Counter Rafael.....

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Jenifer, Mangalore

    Wed, Dec 05 2018

    Mr. Poojary,

    Modi thought Rafael deal scam will not come to the open till the end of his term. So, he took so much efforts to bring this man back, so that he will win over Indians' hearts who will completely topple Congress to give him 100% win in 2019 elections.

    Well, a cat can't drink milk closing it's eyes throughout life - if it does that, it puts itself in danger. This exactly what Modi did. He closed his eyes to all his friends' scams. Land scams, defense scams, food supply scams - especially demonetization scam. BJP did all scams in five year term that Congress did in 70 years time. But, Modi thumps his chest as if he is a saint !

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Babu,Kaikamba, Kaikamba

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Who was Prime Minister of india in 1997-1999

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Sudhakar, Kallianpur

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Swamy, Mangalore

    Fortunately Dubai flight landed in Delhi with Christian Michel. Take hajmola for heart burn and if time go and meet him...

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Langoolacharya, Belman / Washington,DC

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    People,

    This is first 'Smoking Gun' Modiji could find in 4.5 years....lets see if Modiji could counter this for Rafael in 2019 election...

    This could be potentially bad news for Jossey Sir and his party CONgress...

    One theft cannot justify second theft...theft is theft....

    ...Tak...Takk...

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Ramesh, Banglore

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Big win for Modi..!!!

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Sanjay, Hebri

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Congis may field Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi and P Chidambaram to defend Christian Michel in Indian courts.

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Anticorrupt, Mangalore, Kuwait

    Wed, Dec 05 2018

    Only kallla vikil can defend kallas. All the above 3 are dodds kallas.

    Reply Report Abuse

  • SMR, Karkala

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel scam is only Rs 3200 crores.
    Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi scam of looting 'Punjab National Bank' is more than Rs 11,500 crores or $2 Billion.
    Christian Michel will be extradited to India. But Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi are given 'Free Pass' to escape with bank loot when the Chowkidar is in duty.

    1. Why there is no Interpol red-corner notice to extradite Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi?
    2. How is PM Modi government is going to recover $2 Billion from the bank loot?

    Jai Hind

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Sanjay, Hebri

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    He should not have taken bribe with Christian as his name, that too giving commission to another Christian...

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Prabhu, Karkala

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Who is next. Vijay Mallya or Nirav Modi. First we should bring that Nadeem from London and handle him in Yogi style.

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Raju, Karkala

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Acche din aagaye

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Dr.S.Kamath, Mumbai

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    As per Dr Swamy
    AP= Ahmed Patel
    The Family =?
    This will be proved shortly
    Wait watch and see already tremors are felt in Congress head quarters

    Reply Report Abuse

  • readerwriter007, pune

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    ho gayi aunty ki aur pappu ki... vaat lagegi ab. Now where they will run to escape.... Poora sachayi bahar aayegi... aur may be before election Sonia , Rahul and chidambaram will be behind bars.... Nothing is going to stop now to achieve Congress Mukth Bharath....

    Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Italian mafia hak Thu...

    Reply Report Abuse

  • David Pais, Mangalore

    Wed, Dec 05 2018

    italian & thailand mashromms hak thu thu...

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    I am scared for Modi ...

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Dubai plane will land in Delhi but unfortunately for BJP Michel will not be in that flight!!!!????. Heart burn for BJP!!!???..

    Reply Report Abuse

  • Sanjay, Hebri

    Tue, Dec 04 2018

    Great danger for commission Queen Richer than Queen Elizabeth.

    Reply Report Abuse


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