Agusta scam: Supplementary charge sheet filed against middleman Christian Michel

The Enforcement Directorate Thursday filed a supplementary charge sheet against Christian Michel, the alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland chopper scam, before a Delhi court. The charge sheet was also filed against two firms -- Global Services FZE and Global Traders and one of its directors, David Syms. Syms and Michel are both directors of the two firms. Special judge Arvind Kumar said he will take cognisance of the agency's charge sheet on April 6.

Michel was arrested by the ED on December 22 last year after his extradition from Dubai. He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the chopper scam by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation. The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The agency had earlier told the court that Michel received 24.25 million euros and 1,60,96,245 pounds from the AgustaWestland deal. The ED told the court that it had identified Michel's properties purchased with the proceeds of the crime.

The ED, in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. The CBI, in its charge sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros.

(With inputs from agencies.)