Mumbai BJP man claims Michel's counsel is Youth Cong leader

Mumbai, Dec 5: A Mumbai BJP unit's spokesperson claimed Wednesday that the lawyer for Christian Michel, the alleged middleman chargesheeted in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, is a Youth Congress functionary.

Suresh Nakhua made the sensational claim in a tweet, saying Aljo K Joseph, the counsel for the accused in the AgustaWestland case, belongs to the Youth Congress. "BOOM.....Any guesses who is lawyer for Christian Michel ?Mr @Aljokjoseph , National incharge, legal department, Indian youth congress (Youth wing of Cong led by #OutonBail @rahulgandhi )" Nakhua tweeted.

He told PTI that Joseph's Twitter profile has many photos of him with senior Congress leaders such as Kapil Sibal and Ahmed Patel and his designation in the Congress is also freely available (on social media).

Asked about the issue, Joseph said his relations with the Congress were separate, and his profession was separate. He said he was only discharging his duties as a lawyer which has nothing to do with the Congress.

Michel was Wednesday produced before a Delhi court which allowed his five-day custodial interrogation by the CBI. He will again be produced in the court on December 10. Michel, who is a citizen of the United Kingdom, was brought to India Tuesday night following his extradition by the UAE in connection with the case.

PTI