LONDON, Apr 4 : The UK government said it continues to provide consular assistance to VVIP chopper scam accused Christian Michel and has consistently raised the case of the British national being held in Tihar Jail with Indian counterparts.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) statement this week came in response to another plea by Michel’s family for the release of the accused middleman in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal case dating back nearly 15 years.
Michel’s son Alois released a statement in London to reiterate the family’s plea to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is said to have raised the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to New Delhi for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in September last year.
“We continue to provide consular assistance to Mr Michel and his family and have consistently raised his case directly with the Government of India,” a UK government spokesperson said.
Consular staff at the British High Commission in New Delhi are said to regularly visit Michel in detention in Tihar Jail, most recently on March 27.
Sources said the UK government continues to underline the importance of making progress with Indian officials and will continue to do so until the case is resolved.
Lord Tariq Ahmad, who is the Foreign Office Minister for South Asia, is said to have regularly raised Michel’s case with India, most recently during a discussion with Indian Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on February 22.
British middleman Christian Michel was extradited to India from the UAE over the controversial VVIP helicopter deal.
His legal team alleges that he was handed over to the Indian authorities as a “quid pro quo” for the return of Princess Latifa – the daughter of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.
“Fundamentally, he has neither been tried nor has he been found guilty even after 63 months in incarceration, which exceeds the expected time for such condemnation, underlining the ridiculousness of this case. This situation, naturally, leaves us all bitter and angry,” his son Alois Michel said in a statement.
The family wanted to highlight being deprived of “reasonable communications” because phone calls have been rare.
“We are in the dark about his current health and morale, only being conscious that these can only deteriorate with time. My sister, now a grown-up woman, has not seen her father since she was 14. I cannot think of any other word for this condition other than ‘torture’. We will not despair. Our family will persist in spreading awareness about this case, as we are convinced he will be released,” added Alois Michel.
The UK Foreign Office said its officials have been in contact with the Michel family and last met with them in November 2023.
Last month, the Supreme Court of India refused to hear a bail petition from Christian Michel and his lawyer, Aljo Joseph, referenced the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s (WGAD) conclusion from November 2020 to say his detention was “arbitrary”.
“The maximum sentence under the original charge against him – if he was found guilty – would have been seven years. Taking into account standard remission, he would be entitled to a discharge after five years. Under Section 436A of the Indian Code of Criminal Procedure he is entitled to a release after undergoing half the period of a sentence – in other words three and a half years,” said Joseph in a statement.
The Indian government maintains that all procedures were followed in the extradition case. (PTI)
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