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AgustaWestland deal: Christian Michel extradited to India, produced in CBI court

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AgustaWestland Deal

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The alleged middleman in Rs.3,600 crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, Christian Michel, was extradited to India late night on Tuesday, Dec 4 and produced in a CBI court today after questioning in CBI headquarters.

The extradition procedure followed External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s discussions with UAE counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi. The move is seen as significant because Michel is a British national being extradited to India from Dubai.

The extradition operation code-named ‘Unicorn’, the CBI said, was carried out under the ‘guidance’ of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and being coordinated by interim agency Director M Nageswar Rao. Both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have filed cases against him.

Michel was taken to CBI headquarters following a medical checkup after being brought to India. He reached the CBI headquarters at 1:38am, reported The Hindustan Times (HT).

“Christian Michel James will be examined with respect to his involvement in the case and confronted with documents recovered during raids by Swiss Authorities and received by CBI through LRs indicating the bribes paid by Mr Christian Michel James to the Indian authorities for securing the contract for supply of VVIP helicopters from M/s AgustaWestland,” CBI said in a statement.

The AgustaWestland case involves the deal to purchase 12 luxury helicopters for use by the President, Prime Minister, former prime ministers and other VIPs, when Manmohan Singh’s Congress-led coalition was in power. The government scrapped the contract in 2014 amid allegations that AgustaWestland, whose parent company Finmeccanica faced charges of bribery in Italy, had paid kickbacks in India.

Michel’s alleged involvement in the purchase of VVIP helicopters first surfaced in 2012. He was alleged to have entered into a criminal conspiracy with co-accused including the then IAF chief SP Tyagi and his family members, and government officials all of whom had abused their official positions by reducing the service ceiling of the VVIPs helicopter from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres.

The CBI has alleged there was an estimated loss of Euro 398.21 million (approximately Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth Euro 556.262 million.

Michel is one of the three middlemen being examined in the case, along with Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

Michel is wanted for commercial fraud, bribery and money laundering in connection with the deal. The Enforcement Directorate has accused Michel of receiving 30 million Euros (about Rs. 225 crore) from AgustaWestland as kickbacks.

The ED investigation found that remittances made by Michel through his Dubai-based firm Global Services to a media firm he floated in Delhi, along with two Indians, were made from the funds which he got from AgustaWestland through “criminal activity” and corruption being done in the chopper deal that led to the subsequent generation of proceeds of crime.

Michel has refuted the allegations.

Michel was arrested in the UAE last year on the basis of an Interpol notice and was out on bail.

In July, Michel’s lawyer alleged that he was being pressured by Indian agencies to frame Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in return for amnesty from criminal proceedings.

On August 26, UAE had asked a court on the possibility of extraditing a British national to a third country. The court said a few days later that extradition is possible.

On November 19. Dubai’s highest court approved India’s request to extradite Michel, subject to the move being approved by the UAE’s justice minister. On Monday, the Dubai government passed an administrative order to enable Michel’s extradition.

Officials said Swaraj’s presence in Dubai for a meeting of the India-UAE Joint Commission helped push the process.

Last month, the Dubai Cassation Court effectively ended the legal challenge to Michel’s extradition by upholding an appellate court’s decision to extradite him though he pleaded ‘not guilty’.

Alleged irregularities in the AgustaWestland deal were repeatedly raised by the Bharatiya Janata Party during its successful 2014 general elections campaign. Michel’s extradition comes at a time when the Opposition has been targeting the government over a deal for the purchase of Rafale combat aircraft.

The BJP said the extradition in the case from the UPA era is a diplomatic victory for India and could spell “serious trouble” for the Congress’s “first family”, referring to Gandhis while at the same time asserting that the development was an unequivocal affirmation of the Narendra Modi government’s seriousness in fighting corruption.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Bollywood actor Neha Sharma campaigns for her father Ajit Sharma in Bhagalpur, Bihar

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

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Bollywood actor Neha Sharma’s recent participation in a roadshow in Bihar has taken the internet by storm. Sharma, known for her roles in films like Tum Bin 2 and Crook, was seen supporting her father, Ajit Sharma, who is contesting from Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket. The roadshow came amid speculations that the actor might enter politics. But, it is now clear that she was just campaigning for her father.

neha sharma

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

The actor received a warm reception and love from a large crowd in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon during her roadshow. She wrote on Instagram that it is said when someone gives one a place in their heart, then they live there forever. She said her heart is full of all the love and support she was receiving from the people. She thanked the people for the warm welcome she got in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon. Aapka pyar sar ankhon par.

Another video, circulating on social media showed the actor actively participating in her father’s election campaign in Bhagalpur. The election to the Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat is set to take place in the 2nd phase on April 26. Ajit Sharma is representing the Congress and is up against JDU’s Ajay Kumar Mandal in this seat.

Earlier, there had been rumours and speculations that Neha Sharma might join politics. But many reports have clarified that she is not making her political debut yet. The Bollywood actor had been offered the opportunity to join politics by her father Ajjit Sharma but she is currently focusing on her acting career.

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Education

Farmer’s son Nilkrishna Gajare Nirmalkumar from Maharashtra scores 100 NTA score in IIT-JEE Mains 2024

Nilkrishna Gajare’s father is a farmer and had to discontinue his own education after Class 12 as he faced financial difficulties. Gajare faced financial challenges growing up. However, his unwavering dedication and strategic approach to preparation set him apart from the crowd.

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Nilkrishna Gajare, who hails from Maharashtra’s Washim, achieved an extraordinary feat by securing a perfect score of 100 in the JEE Main 2024 examination. His journey from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of success is a source of inspiration for many people.

Nilkrishna Gajare’s father is a farmer and had to discontinue his own education after Class 12 as he faced financial difficulties. Gajare faced financial challenges growing up. However, his unwavering dedication and strategic approach to preparation set him apart from the crowd, which resulted in his remarkable achievement of emerging as topper of one of India’s toughest Engineering entrance exams.

Nilkrishna Gajare had a strategic plan that helped him succeed in IIT-JEE 2024. According to Nilkrishna persistence is important and one should never stop trying until they understand a topic. He said being curious and asking questions are important traits of a good student.  He said one should not be ashamed of asking questions.

Nilkrishna spent around 10-15 hours every day studying on his own for the JEE Main exam. He mentioned that he used his class notes for Physics and Physical Chemistry. For organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry, he relied on both notes and practice questions.

As for Mathematics, he believed that practicing regularly was the most important thing for him. Other interests of Nilkrishna include archery. He has participated at both state and national levels, and he finds joy in the sport.  He said archery helps him understand the importance of focusing his attention on his goals. Nilkrishna likes watching movies and said they are a great source of enjoyment and relaxation.

He likes to watch a movie after exams and occasionally treats himself to one each week too. Gajare aims to keep up the pace for the JEE-Advanced exam and hopes to get into the IITs. He said he wants to secure admission in IIT-Bombay in the computer science branch.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Lok Sabha elections: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav files nomination from Kannauj

The Samajwadi Party has announced Akhilesh Yadav as its official candidate for the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat today

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Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, submitted his nomination for the Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency ahead of tomorrow’s second round of voting. In front of Ram Gopal Yadav and other party leaders, the chief of the SP, who had previously contested the seat in 2000, 2004 and 2009, submitted the nomination.

Speaking with media, Ram Gopal Yadav said that SP would win the seat by a huge margin. The BJP candidate might lose his deposit in the seat, he said.

The Samajwadi Party has completely reversed its earlier plan to field former Mainpuri MP Tej Pratap Singh Yadav as their candidate, which is a significant political development.

Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav told reporters, people will find out when the nomination takes place, in reference to the speculations that he will contest for the seat. The historic victory of Kannauj is the subject of inquiry.

The former chief minister continued, the people have decided that the India bloc is coming as the future and the BJP will be history in this election.

Notably, elections for the Kannauj seat are scheduled for May 13, which would intensify the political drama that is now playing out in Uttar Pradesh. Previously regarded as the Samajwadi Party’s stronghold, the seat was lost by the party in the 2019 election when Subrat Pathak of the BJP won with a resounding victory.

The candidates competing for the following Uttar Pradesh seats will find out their destiny in the second round of voting, which is scheduled for tomorrow, Amroha, Meerut, Mathura, Baghpat, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, and Bulandshahar.

Notably, two Bollywood celebrities running as BJP candidates in the second round are Hema Malini from Mathura and Arun Govil from Meerut. There are 91 contestants from UP competing in the second phase.

The seats in Gautam Buddha Nagar and Mathura are up for grabs, with a maximum of 15 applicants per seat. In Bulandshahr, six candidates are vying for the presidency. There are twelve contenders running in Amroha, eight in Meerut, seven in Baghpat, and fourteen in Ghaziabad and Aligarh.

1,67,77,198 votes will decide these candidates’ fates.

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