MiChEl’s CBi CustodY EXtEndEd BY 4 daYs
A special court on Saturday extended the CBI custody of Christian Michel, alleged middleman in the VVIP helicopter scam, by four days. While seeking the custody of Michel, the CBI had told the court that he had borne foreign air travel expenses of serving and retired Indian Air Force officials.
Michel was produced in Patiala House court here after his five-day CBI remand ended. While arguing for the extension of his custody by five days, the agency said they wanted to confront him with more evidence and also take him to Mumbai.
Earlier, a Delhi court on Tuesday had allowed the CBI to take signature and handwriting samples of Michel. Michel, 57, has been in CBI custody since 4 December when he was extradited from Dubai following the order of a Dubai court.
The CBI, represented through advocate D.P. Singh, stated that the accused was “not cooperating” in the investigation and was giving “evasive” answers. The CBI stated that Michel was required to be confronted with some witnesses to unearth the deep-rooted conspiracy and identify his accomplices, including IAF officials, bureaucrats and politicians.
Michel is one of the three middlemen being probed in the case, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI. Both the agencies notified an Interpol red corner notice (RCN) against him after the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MH&UA) is considering banning the use of bricks made in traditional coal-based kilns in its housing projects, sources have said. The implementation of the MH&UA’s proposal will promote environment-friendly methods of brick making in the country, they said.
A senior Central Public Works Department (CPWD) official told The Sunday Guardian: “MH&UA in September had directed the CPWD to examine whether the use of bricks made in traditional coal- based kilns can be banned in its construction projects. Following that, the CPWD submitted its report in November this year. In its report, the CPWD has suggested that the ban on bricks made in coal-based kilns is possible.”
“The CPWD, in its report, has suggested that there are many techniques to make eco-friendly bricks without using coal. The MH&UA can use bricks made from waste. The report has also suggested that the MH&UA can promote the making of industrially produced bricks in the country,” the official.
At present, most of brick kilns in the country use Assam coal, Slack coal and Lignite which contain high levels