Chopper scam: Middleman Michel visited in just before CBI enquiry

In a major revelation in the VVIP chopper scam case, reports have come out that Christian Michel, the alleged middle man who has emerged as the kingpin, had visited India a week before the CBI filed a preliminary enquiry. Documents accessed by CNN-IBN suggests that “Michel was in India exactly 10 days before filing of the preliminary enquiry by CBI in February 2013. According to the documents, Michel flew in and out of India six times between 12 January and 14 February, 2013”. [caption id=“attachment_1365515” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] Meanwhile, after scrapping AgustaWestland’s Rs 3,600 crore deal for supplying VVIP choppers, the defence ministry had said it would take a decision on the issue of blacklisting the firm after consultations with the law ministry and CBI. “If Michel was a frequent traveller to India between 2011 and 2012, why did he suddenly fly out of India just before a PE naming him was registered? Had Michel been tipped off by someone in India about an impending enquiry?” the CNN-IBN report asked . The defence ministry cancelled its contract with AgustaWestland on 1 January after it found that there was alleged breach of the pre-contract integrity pact. AgustaWestland has denied any wrongdoing on its part relating to alleged kickbacks in the deal. After scrapping the deal, India encashed a guarantee of over Rs 250 crore deposited by AgustaWestland in a bank in Delhi even as it is preparing to file an appeal against an Italian court’s stay on its move to encash another guarantee in an Italian bank. With agency inputs