No evidence against Gandhi family in AgustaWestland case: Michel's advocate

New Delhi (India), Dec 15, (ANI): There is "no evidence" against the family of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi in AgustaWestland case, said Rosemary Patrizi here on Saturday. She is the lawyer of Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in VVIP chopper deal scam and currently in the CBI custody.
Talking to media persons in the Patiala House Court premises, Patrizi said: "I am afraid that they (government) will arrest me because I know everything about Michel. I want to fly back to my country and celebrate Christmas with my family."
Patrizi on Saturday appeared in the CBI's Special Court of Arvind Kumar for Michel. Aljo K Joseph, the counsel for Michel in India, also sought the court's permission to execute Michel's power of attorney in Patrizi's name to initiate appropriate proceedings to quash the red corner notice issued by the International Police or Interpol.
During the hearing, CBI's counsel told the court that consular access for Christian Michel is already under consideration of Ministry of External Affairs. The court will hear Christian Michel's bail plea on December 19.
The court also extended the CBI's custody of Christian by four days. However, the CBI had asked for five-day custody saying that he is to be interrogated further and a number of documents are to be confronted with him.
Patrizi argued in the court that she had represented Michel for almost five years in Italy and Switzerland. The court allowed her to talk to Michel for about 10 minutes. CBI counsel, however, questioned the credentials of Patrizi.
Rosemary further argued in the court that she has some more documents relating to the case which she wanted to submit in the court. On December 11, the court granted the CBI, access to the handwriting and signature of accused Christian Michel.
Raising questions over the same, Michel's lawyer Joseph had told the court that samples should be 'sent to the right place,' objecting to which the CBI's lawyer had said that Joseph's concerns were questioning the integrity of the institution.
The Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal, finalised during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure, was mired in allegations of kickbacks. The 54-year-old Michel is an accused in the case along with former India's Air Force Chief, Air Marshal SP Tyagi among others. (ANI)