AgustaWestland case: Christian Michel alleges CBI asked him to implicate certain people  

Christian Michel while being produced at a Delhi court.

New Delhi: Christian Michel, who was arrested after extradition to India from Dubai in the ₹3,600 crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation had asked him in Dubai to implicate certain people in the case, and he would “face problems in jail” if he fails to do so.

While opposing Tihar Jail authorities’ decision to shift Michel to a high-security cell in isolation, he made the allegations through his lawyer before a Delhi court, on Tuesday.

The Tihar jail authorities had submitted that there was threat perception against Michel after the Pulwama attack and as a response, the special judge, Arvind Kumar, directed the jail superintendent to shift Michel, currently lodged in jail number 2, to some other cell in the jail.

Michel’s lawyer Aljo K Joseph said, “CBI officials met him in Dubai and he was told that if he does not name certain persons in the case and give desired confessions, he will face problem in the jail. That’s what going on. In the name of security, he is being isolated and his freedom is further going to be curtailed.”

However, while denying the allegations, the CBI counsel said, “These allegations are farther from the truth. Every day they are making new allegations. They only want to scandalize things. They have also made false and frivolous allegations like he had to go for open defecation which are false and giving a bad name to the country. They have made a joke of this court. The foreigners who are to come from outside the country (facing extradition to India), are taking these grounds that facilities in Indian jails are not good enough. Trying to scandalize the court by allegations of open defecation etc.”

After recording the submissions, the court said, “Shift him in Jail No. 1, 3 or 4. All the facilities provided to other jail prisoners be provided to him. If he is kept in high security, there should be some reasoning. Jail authorities shall make necessary assessment regarding any threat to the accused and shall take decision accordingly to keep him in a suitable cell.”

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