Sensational revelations in ED chargesheet: Christian Michel admits paying journalists, influencing media

The Enforcement Directorate has cracked the AgustaWestland Case. In what comes as a massive development 7 days before the first vote is cast, Republic TV has accessed the 52-pages full explosive ED Fourth supplementary chargesheet in the AgustaWestland case which breaks open and unravels every detail in the case. 

Journalists named in Agusta:

For the first time, the role of three Delhi based senior journalists have emeged in the Rs 3,700 crore AgustaWestland deal. In the fourth supplementary chargesheet filed in the Patiala House Court, ED has mentioned the names of three journalists in Page number 29, 30 and 43.

ED told the PMLA court that Agusta Middleman 'Christian Michel James was in touch with journalists to obtain defence related confidential inputs as well as to manage the media in favour of AgustaWestland'. 

'Can't stop then influence media':

On page 29 of the chargesheet, the dispatch dated 12th August, 2009 reads:

'The article that came out in ----today is the next obvious step to try and stop the deal. We have been in touch with the reporter who is planning a second article this week which if we cannot stop at least we will influence it'

Dalal tamed 'aggressive' journalist?

In the following paragraphs on the same page, ED talks about Michel explaining how journalists were influenced. They go on to attach a portion of his statement, an excerpt of which reads:

'The media was becoming very aggressive. So, I had engaged a full time press adviser Mr Guy Douglas to have at least our side reported'. Guy Douglas, who has also been a spokesperson for AgustaWestland had met a journalist whom Christian Michel in his statement referred to as one had become 'aggressive'.

In the same statement, Christian Michel also admits taking advice from another journalist who wasn't very active at that time.

REVEALED: Michel says journalists were paid:

During their interrogation, the ED confronted Michel with an article from a particular newspaper that was published in June 2005, an article that was written with an intention to create an opportunity for Agusta Westland. ED, while questioning Michel, also made a reference to Casana sheet where a journalist was paid 205,860 pounds. When Michel was asked by ED sleuths if journalists were used to bag the VVIP chopper deal, he didn't deny.  While referring to the same article in his statement dated January 2nd, 2019, the Agusta middleman told ED

'The payment/loan to ------------- was to help the son of a friend. It is wrong to say this had anything to do with VIP'

When questioned about how he influenced a series of articles that came in a particular newspaper, Agusta Middleman Christian Michel  also told the ED 

'We asked our media man to focus on at least calming down the second article in --------------------. The two main people he had to reach was --------------- and ---------------'

EXPLOSIVE: ED Cracks Agusta Kickbacks Scandal. Republic TV Accesses 52-page ED Supplementary Chargesheet Where Middleman Christian Michel Mentions 'Ítalian Lady's Son', 'Family' And 'Ahmed Patel'

Earlier, the investigating agencies had recovered hand-written diary notings detailing the alleged kickbacks paid for the 12 AW-101 AgustaWestland deal. These noting mentioned ‘FAM’, ‘AP’ among others – answers to which were unknown so far. However, as per ED conclusion, Christian Michel has revealed that 'AP’ stands for Ahmed Patel and 'FAM’ was the abbreviation for ‘Family'.  

Earlier in December, Christian Michel was extradited to India from Dubai through a high-security CBI-led procedure. Christian Michel James has been described as a historical consultant of AgustaWestland/Westland Helicopters, UK with technical operational knowledge of the aircraft, the military bases and the pilots, by the CBI.

He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.