(This article was originally published in The Economic Times on 27/08/2018.)
NEW DELHI: Indian probe agencies have upped their ante in seeking the extradition of
Christian Michel, the all eged middleman in the
AgustaWestland scandal. They have met Michel and his lawyer nearly half-a-dozen times, in the presence of representatives from Dubai, as they step up efforts to extradite him.
In fact, Indian agencies probing the VVIP chopper scandal were in for a shock last year when Dubai authorities informed them that no evidence pertaining to a Dubai company which allegedly facilitated the payment of kickbacks could be found.
The company belonged to Christian Michel and the Dubai authorities said their investigation found nothing amiss with the involvement of one of the directors of Michel’s company. This triggered an exchange of information by Indian sleuths concerning alleged money trail and evidence gathered by it relating to Michel’s company and director(s). “No data in respect of Global Services FZE, Dubai could be evidenced” read an official communication sent by Dubai authorities on February 2, 2017. It added that “investigation and scrutinising the database of criminal information system found no personal data in respect of David Syms”.
David Syms, a member of the Syms family, controls a large number of companies. David is listed as director in over two dozen companies. As per available information, David along with his octogenarian father Charles Syms, have been business associates of Michel for more than 15 years. Global Services FZE, Michel’s Dubai firm, was signed on to facilitate the sale of 14 old Westland choppers to be procured from
Pawan Hans. Michel has again denied writing the “incriminating” hand-written diaries recovered by probe agencies detailing the alleged kickbacks paid for the choppers.
Michel has alleged that the impugned diaries were written by Guido Haschke, another alleged middleman and co-accused in the VVIP chopper scandal. Sources told ET that the “poor condition of Indian jails” was brought up during the interactions with Michel. Indian authorities have submitted their evidence to the Dubai adjudicating authority seeking to extradite the middleman. Michel’s defence lawyers are to submit the rebuttal. Michel was arrested in Dubai last year following an
Interpol notice issued on the request of Indian authorities. He was formally arrested this year.
Michel was in detention since June and granted bail on July 30 by a Dubai Court. The key middleman was paid $48.6 million by the Italian company for contracts in India. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and
Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier filed chargesheets against Michel following which nonbailable warrants were issued. A case on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and charges under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act was registered against the then Chief of Air Staff SP Tyagi and 18 other accused. A detailed charge-sheet was filed on September 1, 2017.
It was alleged that Tyagi had entered into a criminal conspiracy with the other accused and conceded to change IAF’s consistent stand that service ceiling of 6,000 metres for VVIP helicopters, an inescapable operational necessity, be made 4,500 meters.
Michel was in detention since June and granted bail on July 30 by a Dubai Court. 
