AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel seeks permission to contact lawyers, family; vows to bear all 'necessary costs'

New Delhi: Christian Michel on Thursday moved an application before a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court seeking permission to make international calls to his family, friends, and lawyers.

The court has sought reply on the application from the Tihar Jail authorities till Monday. Michel moved the application through his lawyers, claiming that he had approached jail authorities in this regard, but his request was rejected.

He also submitted that he will bear all the necessary costs in this regard.

On 5 January, the role of Michel came out in other deals as well, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) told a Delhi court which sent the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland case to judicial custody till 26 February.

The ED counsel also alleged that all the documents submitted in the Italian court were false and that he has evidence to prove it.

“His (Christian Michel) role has also come out in other defence deals and money seems to be flowing in that also. We have documents to show they misled the Italian court. Our probe has been fruitful. We have investigated how cash circulated through multiple bank accounts and Hawala transactions,” said ED counsel.

On 29 December, the court had sent Michel to a seven-day ED remand. The AgustaWestland helicopter deal, finalised during the previous government headed by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, got mired in the allegations of kickbacks.

According to the ED charge sheet, Michel had received kickbacks to the tune of 30 million Euros from AgustaWestland for the deal involving the purchase of 12 VIP helicopters. The deal, signed in 2007, was scrapped in 2013 following bribery allegations.