No formal communication received about AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel's extradition from UAE: CBI

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday said that it had not received any formal communication on the extradition order of Christian Michel, the alleged British middleman in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case, from UAE government, according to sources.

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The remark came a day after a Dubai court ordered for the extradition of Michel, who is considered to have allegedly played a key role in mediating the payment of bribes to politicians and bureaucrats in exchange for a contract for VVIP helicopters.

Michel was arrested in February 2017 in the UAE and was out on bail. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had been trying to secure extradition of Christian Michel ever since.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that Christian Michel, is missing after his extradition order to India.

His lawyer Amal Alsubei said that Michel is on the run and the agencies are looking for him, adding he would be arrested as soon as he is found, the reports said.

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The ED, in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he received EUR 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. Michel is one of the three middlemen being probed in the case, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, by the ED and the CBI. Both the agencies have notified an Interpol red corner notice (RCN) against him after the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

(With inputs from PTI)