Choppy Skies

The BJP might act like it has cornered the Congress in the AgustaWestland chopper deal case, but there are hurdles in the probe

- Namrata Biji Ahuja

CHRISTIAN MICHEL, an accused in the 3,600 crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal case, is cooling his heels in the high security jail number seven at the Tihar complex in Delhi. He reads books, wrapped in his blanket, and picks up the newspaper every day to see what the government, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been saying about him.

He gets 6,000 as monthly allowance, which he spends on chips, tea, coffee, and Indian breads and curries. His favourite is the chicken biryani he had from Chandni Chowk, which he was served while in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate. The Christmas cake the agency gave him, on December 25, was also a treat.

Since being extradited, Michel has spent four weeks in police custody, some of it in the comfortable CBI suite at the agency headquarters and some in the ED lock-up, where he was lodged with some criminals. He was then sent to judicial custody till February 27.

The CBI and the ED are probing the AgustaWestland deal, which was for 12 VVIP choppers. Michel is accused of arranging bribes for Indian politicians and bureaucrats, to swing the deal for the company.

“Investigating agencies are hunting for answers that the nation deserves to know,” Modi bellowed at a huge public rally in Solapur, Maharashtra, on January 9. “What is the connection between Michel mama (uncle) and the Congress? Was the UPA running its government or Michel mama’s darbar (court)?”

BJP president Amit Shah joined in, sending out scathing tweets about a “time tested and deep friendship” between the Gandhis (Sonia and Rahul) and Michel. He also said Michel was passing on details of his questioning on Sonia to his local lawyer.