Christian Michel moved to high-risk ward after Pulwama attack: Tihar Jail authorities tell court

AgustaWestland case middleman Christian Michel has been moved to high-risk ward following recent Pulwama attack that claimed the lives of over 40 Indian soldiers, Tihar Jail authorities told Delhi's Patiala House Court on Tuesday.

British national Michel, extradited from Dubai, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on December 22 last year in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal.

The Delhi court had lashed out Tihar Jail Authorities over a plea filed by Michel raising questions about putting him in solitary confinement and alleging that he had been shifted to a high-security jail where dreaded criminals like Chhota Rajan and Shahbuddin are kept.

"Why was there no threat to his security till now. He was kept with other prisoners for 70 days. This was always a high profile case. If that was the case he should have been kept in a high security ward since the beginning. Tell me why all of a sudden he was shifted to a ward where hardened criminals were kept," the presiding judge has asked.

Deputy Superintendent of Tihar Jail told the court that Michel was shifted to cell number 2 (high security ward) keeping in mind his safety as it was a high profile case. However, he failed to justify the sudden shifting before the court. 

The court has then directed the Director General (DG) of Tihar to file a comprehensive reply on the reasons of Michel's sudden shifting to the high security cell and why he was kept with hard-core criminals.

With PTI Inputs