AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper case: Delhi Court grants further 5-day remand of Christian Michel

A Delhi court on Monday sent Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case, to five days of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) remand. The court extended the remand for his custodial interrogation by the CBI.

Michel was produced before CBI Special Court Judge Arvind Kumar after the expiry of his five-day CBI remand.

The probe agency sought further remand of nine days for Michel's custodial interrogation saying he was not cooperating in the investigation of the case. "AgustaWestland alleged middleman Christian Michel not cooperating. He is evasive in giving answers during interrogation," said the CBI to the court.

"We need to confront him with LR (letters rogatory) that have been received from five countries and Michel didn't co-operate with Italian investigation in the case," added the CBI.

At the outset, Michel withdrew his earlier bail plea and filed a fresh detailed bail application.

The CBI has agreed to give British High Commission access to Michel. The agency said, "We have already been approached by British counsellors. We have allowed their plea of keeping their own counsel."

On CBI application for seeking specimen of handwriting and signature, Special CBI Court asks Michel's counsel to file a reply. The court will hear the application on Tuesday.

The court fixed 30 minutes time, in the morning and evening every day, for the counsel of Michel. The probe agency had wanted the counsel to visit only once a day.

The British national has been extradited to India from Dubai, UAE, in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case.