11 Years On, Choppers Probe Remains Stuck

Eleven years after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a probe in ₹3,727 crore VVIP chopper deal and got hold of the most important middleman — Christian Michel James — who lobbied for AgustaWestland for defence contracts in India, both the agencies are yet to name any politician in the case.

- Neeraj Chauhan

NEW DELHI:

Several Italian court documents including the fax dispatches Michel sent to AgustaWestland functionaries, which were investigated during this period, suggested that the British middleman, who got bail from the Delhi high court in the money-laundering case, was intervening at a "very high level" in the Indian government, by practically engaging the "entire cabinet" to secure the VVIP chopper deal in favour of AgustaWestland.

It is alleged that Michel, who had an experience of 20-25 years of arms lobbying in India, was independently in touch with politicians, bureaucrats and defence personnel for this deal and handled Euro 42 million worth bribes.

The only senior government official linked with the contract named as accused in the case was former defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma.