Will join investigation if shifted to another cell: Michel bargains with Delhi Court

New Delhi: AgustaWestland deal 'middleman' Christian Michel on Tuesday told a Delhi Court that he would join the investigation if he was shifted to another cell in Tihar Jail.

"If your honour wishes me to join the investigation, I will joint it but in return, I may be moved to a different cell," Michel told Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar during today's hearing.

Michel also told the court that then CBI senior official Rakesh Asthana had warned him that his life would be made hell if he comes back to India. "It has become true," he said.

Michel had on Monday contended that he has been kept in an isolation ward, along with a Kashmiri terrorist and 160 other inmates. In his letter, Michel also stated that such an act by the jail authorities without the due process of law is “illegal, arbitrary and highly condemnable".

"Earlier I was kept with white-collar criminals. Now, I have been kept with murderers. Not that I have anything against murder convicts. But I don't think I should be made to stay with them," Michel told the court on Tuesday.

However, Tihar Jail authorities said no Kashmir or Pakistan-based terror suspects are in the same ward as Michel.

"Their allegation is wrong. All Pakistani and Jammu and Kashmir inmates have been moved to another jail a month ago. He (Michel) has been provided a single cell for his convenience. If we put more inmates, they will later come and say that Michel is being put to inconvenience," the jail authorities added.

A Delhi court earlier on Tuesday allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to interrogate Christian Michel inside the Tihar jail here.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar allowed the ED's plea to question Michel inside the prison on March 13 and 14.

Delhi court directed the Tihar jail authorities to produce CCTV footage, reports of the last five days based on which Christian Michel was shifted to high-security ward.

The court has fixed March 14 for the next hearing.

The court had on Monday asked Tihar Jail authorities to submit their reply on the agency's plea and also issued a production warrant for Tuesday against Michel after his lawyer alleged mental torture inside the jail.

He was arrested by the ED on December 22 last year after his extradition from Dubai. The court had earlier lashed out at the jail's authorities for failing to justify the shifting of Michel to a high-security cell in isolation, saying it will start an inquiry if it does not get a proper response.

Michel is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the scam by ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation. The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.