AgustaWestland case: Key middleman approaches CBI, lays down conditions for trial in India

New Delhi: In a major development in VVIP chopper deal case, the key middleman Christian James Michel, through his lawyers in London has forwarded a written communication to the Central Bureau of Investigation in Delhi. This is the first official communication by the middleman in Agustawestland case to the investigating agency in India. In his letter to CBI, Michel who played a key role in Rs 3,727 crore deal has asked the investigating agency to provide him with the copy of all the charges, he faces in India. Besides appointing his lawyers in London, he has also officially given a formal consent for a questioning by the Indian authorities with certain conditions, while maintaining that he is still reluctant to travel to India. The letter was written on August 25 and has been sent to the CBI by e-mail and courier. This is the first time that the key middleman has established a direct contact with the investigating agencies with details of his conditions for questioning by Indian authorities. Earlier this year, Michel had told in media interactions that he was in process of hiring a lawyer in New Delhi. He later told ABP News that it was difficult for him to find out a suitable lawyer in Delhi. Hence, he hired the services of London based lawyer Ken Forsyth. In this letter, Michel’s lawyer contend that the alleged key accused in VVIP chopper deal has not received oral or written instruction from the Indian authorities till date and he did not know the name of the person to correspond to. “We have addressed the letter to CBI, marked for the attention of DSP Surender Malik, because of the reference to both CBI and DSP Malik in a 24.9.15 court order (by special CBI court, where non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against Michel” reads the letter. Besides denying any wrongdoing, Michel’s lawyers have laid specific conditions for questioning by Indian agencies in Dubai; Michel has also asked that Indian agencies should tell the Interpol to revoke the red corner notice against him, once he presents himself in Dubai. The controversial dealer has  shown willingness to record or film the proposed questioning session. He even went further by saying that if this questioning takes place, he will voluntarily return to India not less than seven days before the start of criminal trial in court, provided his conditions are fulfilled. His new lawyers claim that he would present himself before court during every hearing if his conditions are met by the Indian authorities. These conditions include; revocation of Interpol notice and no detention before the final judgment by the court. This comes months after he was formally charged by the Enforcement Directorate in AgustaWestland  case. Indian agencies have been seeking Michel’s extradition and official communication was established earlier with UK and now UAE in this regard. Christian Michel is also known as an alleged author of controversial notes which mentioned abbreviations corresponding to names of some top UPA  politicians, these notes were submitted to a court in Italy by the Italian prosecution during the trial of former Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi. Michel however has denied writing the notes alleging Guido Haschke (another middleman involved in the deal) of forging the evidence. The current whereabouts of Haschke remains unknown who served a minor jail term in Italy and was later released by the Italian authorities.