BRITAIN SEEKS CONSULAR ACCESS TO AGUSTA ACCUSED

NEW DELHI: The British High Commission Wednesday sought consular access to Christian Michel, a day after the British national was brought here from the UAE to face allegations of bribery in the ₹3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, an official said.

A spokesperson of the high commission said information has been sought from the Indian authorities urgently on Michel’s “circumstances” and that the British government is in contact with his family. Another official of the high commission, who wished not be named, said consular access to Michel has been sought.

“Our staff continue to support the family of a British man following his detention in the UAE.

We are in contact with his family and the Emirati authorities regarding his case, and are urgently seeking information from the Indian authorities on his circumstances,” the spokesperson said.

Michel was brought to India late Tuesday night following his extradition by the UAE in connection with the chopper deal case. A court Wednesday sent him to a five-day custody of the CBI, probing the scam.

He is one of the three middlemen, being probed by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. Michel has denied the charges.

The CBI has alleged there was an estimated loss of Euro 398.21 million (approximately ₹2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers. On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Italy-based Finmeccanica’s British subsidiary AgustaWestland.