New Delhi: AgustaWestland reportedly paid middleman Christian Michel €6 Million for two years after the AW-101 helicopters deal was signed with the Indian government.
Sources say Michel was paid from 2010-2012 to monitor and manage Indian media and ensure there was no bad publicity.
In 2010 AgustaWestland signed a Rs 3,546 crore contract to supply 12 AW-101 helicopters to the IAF.
On February 4, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sent a letter to Interpol seeking extradition of Michel in connection with the chopper scam.
Christian is believed to be the key middleman in the chopper scam and he was recently tracked down in Dubai. The extradition request was sent after both ED and CBI got a Red Corner Notice issued against him.
The scam, which came in to limelight in 2013, revealed that several Indian politicians and military officials were 'accused' of accepting bribes from AgustaWestland to secure the bid for $610 million deal of AW-101 helicopters for VVIP duties.
Christian is facing charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, illegal gratification and abuse of official position for allegedly acting as a middleman to influence the decision to purchase the VVIP choppers.
The Rs 3600 crore deal was scrapped by the government in 2013.
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