India grants consular access to Christian Michel: MEA

New Delhi, Jan 11: India has granted consular access to Christian Michel, a British national who was brought here from the UAE last month in connection with the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal scam.

The British High Commission had sought consular access to Michel after he was arrested in the first week of December.

"Consular access has been granted to Michel," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. Michel, 57, was brought to India following his extradition by the United Arab Emirates in connection with the chopper deal case. At present, he is lodged in Tihar jail here. It is learnt that consular access to Michel was granted on Thursday.

Michel is one of the three middlemen, being probed by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in the case, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. Michel has denied the charges.

Asked about Pakistan's call for talks with India to improve strained ties, Kumar accused Pakistan of trying to mainstream terror organisations, and said there was no seriousness in its statement on dialogue. India has been maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together.

PTI