British national Christian Michel, the middleman in the AgustaWestland scam, wrote a letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi and expressed his willingness to join the probe.
In the letter to CBI on 25 August, an English law firm that represents Michel said that he is ready for a meeting with probe agencies (on AgustaWestland scam) at the Indian consulate in Dubai and not in India.
The firm made requests of withdrawing pending red corner notice against him and also to allow him to keep a video recording of the interrogation.
He said he might have some information which could enable the Indian authorities to move ahead with their investigation.
A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Michel. He is not willing to come to India for the questioning as he is afraid that “a long period of time might elapse”, between his questioning and withdrawal of criminal charges or conclusion of criminal trial.
Michel vigorously denies having been involved in any wrongdoing relating to this matter - and in particular, we are instructed that he denies making or facilitating any corrupt payments to inducements relating to this matter.The letter to CBI
The British national,however, claims to be unaware of the non-bailable warrant against him and claims to have gotten no information from the Indian authorities about the charge-sheet issued against him.
Michel has offered to return to India for not more than seven days, under the conditions that within two days of the meeting with investigators in Dubai or through video conference, they shall ask Interpol to withdraw the Red Corner Notice against him as long as he sticks to his promise of appearing in court.
He also wants the assurance that no authority shall arrest or otherwise detain him in relation to this matter until he is found guilty and subsequently sentenced.
Michel had allegedly played a key role in swinging the Rs 3,727-crore deal for AgustaWestland to supply 12 VVIP choppers to India in 2010.
AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Italian defence giant Finmeccanica, allegedly paid more than Rs 370 crore as kickbacks to secure the deal.
(Source: CNN News18)
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