Christian Michel James, the key middleman in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper scam, who is lodged in Tihar jail since his arrest in 2018, has gone on an ‘indefinite’ hunger strike on Thursday to compel the British government to take cognisance of his case. He is believed to have said that this is the only way to get his voice heard by the British government, who until now has paid no heed to his requests to intervene in his case.
Speaking about the development, Michel’s son, Alois said: “We are urging the UK government to intervene. For three years, he has been asking the UK to support him… nothing happens and no reaction is given. He has no option but to go on a hunger strike,” adding that his father is concerned that the trial will never happen.
Speaking from Paris, Michel’s wife, Valerie, said: “It’s been three long years with absolutely no trial, no justice… My husband has no choice but (to resort to) a hunger strike. We are worried about his physical, mental and emotional health. We don’t know anything about his condition. He is probably in a precarious condition. My children are growing with no father.”
Michel writes to UK PM seeking action on his case
It may be noted that on October 5, Christian Michel had written a 9-page letter to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson threatening to go on a ‘hunger strike’. In the letter, Michel had threatened to commence his hunger strike on November 25 until the UK government takes action on his case. Adding that the British Embassy in Dubai had “refused to intervene”, Michel, in his letter to the British PM, had said that his situation in Tihar jail was akin to being on death row.
While Michel’s family claimed that he wrote the letter to the British Prime Minister after being denied access to the British High Commission, Tihar Jail Director General Sandeep Goyal dismissed the claims. Goyal said: “None of his rights has been violated. He has been given regular counsellor access as per the procedure. He went on a hunger strike yesterday and has not taken any food. We are monitoring his health; if medical intervention is required, it will be provided to him.”
Michel was extradited to India from the United Arab Emirates on December 5, 2018. He was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) upon his arrival in India, and then by the Enforcement Directorate, a financial investigation agency, a few days later. He has been held in judicial custody at Tihar Jail since then.
Michel had recently sought bail on the grounds that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) concluded his detention was arbitrary. However, the court, while rejecting the bail, had said the UNHRC WGAD was “not a judicial body and it appears that it did not have complete material before it was forming an opinion”.
After the court had disregarded the UNHRC WGAD recommendation that Michel be released immediately, his lawyer had said that they would petition the UN to take further action.
CBI files supplementary charge-sheet in AgustaWestland scandal, elaborates role of Christian Michel in receiving and routing the alleged kickbacks
On September 19 last year, the CBI filed a supplementary charge sheet against 15 accused, including Michel and accused-turned-approver Rajiv Saxena, in connection with the alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. The charge sheet elaborated in detail about the alleged role played by Michel in receiving and routing the alleged kickbacks through a web of entities to alleged beneficiaries, which include bureaucrats and politicians.
Michel’s bail application is listed for hearing before the Delhi High Court on December 2.
