AgustaWestland Case: 'Middleman' Christian Michel Sent to 7-Day ED Remand

New Delhi, December 22: Alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, Christian Michel, has been sent to a 7-day Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand. A Delhi court, which heard the ED's plea seeking his custody for 15 days, ruled that the agency would be allowed to detain him for 7 days, after Michel's judicial custody obtained by the CBI ends on December 28.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar dismissed the bail plea of Michel, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600 crore scandal, dating back to 2010. Christian Michel Sentenced to Judicial Custody Till December 28.

The ED had sought his separate arrest in a money-laundering case saying there was a gap in the money trail being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation and them.

"We are two different agencies. It's impossible to have a joint investigation in the ambit of the law. We need to stand on our own feet," the ED said.

The agency said that it needs to probe money laundering aspect of the chain of proceeds of crime and the properties brought with that money, all of which have to be identified and recovered.

Michel was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on December 4. The next day, he was produced before the court, which allowed his five-day custodial interrogation by the CBI. It was extended by five more days, and later for another four days.

The court had reserved the order on Michel's bail plea on December 19 and sent him to judicial custody till December 28.

Michel is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the Enforcement Directorate and CBI. The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 22, 2018 05:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).