Swap for runaway princess
A British arms consultant at the centre of a bribery scandal over a helicopter deal in India was exchanged for a runaway Dubai princes in an extraordinary quid pro quo extradition, sources have revealed.
Christian Michel, 57, described as a ‘‘smooth’’ business dealer by detectives from the Central Bureau of Intelligence (CBI), was extradited from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last month to face police over a deal that has sent shock waves across the political and military spheres of Delhi.
He was handed to India in an exchange for Princess Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed alMaktoum, the daughter of Dubai’s ruler, who was intercepted by the India Navy during her attempt to flee the UAE last year.
The princess’s capture off the coast of Goa drew global attention for her dramatic escape from Dubai in a yacht with the aid of a French spy as she allegedly sought asylum for mistreatment by the royal family.
European and Asian diplomatic sources in New Delhi told The Sunday Telegraph they believe India struck a deal to swap Princess Latifa with Michel, who owns a home and company in Dubai but has long been wanted by Indian authorities.
Michel is being questioned over a deal for 12 helicopters for VIPs, for the firm AgustaWestland, the British arm of the Italian aviation company Leonardo, that dates back to the Congress Party-led Indian government of 2004-14.
Michel, who is said to have widespread contacts in the Indian military and political worlds, was allegedly hired by AgustaWestland to influence top officials in the air force and government, led by Manmohan Singh, to help secure the Rs 3,600 crore (NZ$750 million) deal for the company.
So far Michel has said nothing, say CBI detectives.
After his arrest, Michel made a sensational claim that the CBI had put pressure on him to sign a confession that he had met Sonia Gandhi, the former Congress president who was a close aide of Singh, when the deal was being negotiated in 2010.
Michel said that he refused to sign as he had never met Gandhi in his life. He also alleged that the CBI had promised him a waiver in the case if he signed. The CBI denies the allegations.
Observers have asked why it has taken this long for Narendra Modi, the prime minister, and his government to instigate proceedings, suggesting that part of the reason is to deflect attention away from current allegations that Modi himself was part of a suspicious deal for Rafale fighter jets from a French company in 2016.
‘‘Isn’t it coincidental that this Michel guy suddenly appears on the scene during the Rafale scandal, and close to an election?’’ said Maroof Raza, a defence analyst and former army officer.
‘‘This could be a huge scandal yes, depending on what Michel is prepared to say, but it could also be a shrewd move by Modi.’’
– Telegraph Group