New Delhi, Dec 5(PTI): Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in politically-sensitive Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, was brought to India late on Tuesday night following his extradition by the UAE, the CBI said.

He was questioned by the central investigating agency through the night.

Michel will be produced in court on Wednesday.

Michel, 57, landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on a Gulfstream jet at 2235 hours, official sources to news agency PTI said. He was arrested in the UAE last year on the basis of an Interpol notice and was out on a bail.

The operation code-named 'Unicorn' was carried out under the guidance of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and being coordinated by interim CBI Director M Nageswar Rao, the CBI spokesperson said.

A team of the agency's officers led by Joint Director Sai Manohar was in Dubai to bring him back, it said.
The agency said that Michel has been brought back to India after completion of the extradition process. The UAE government had cleared the extradition of Michel after his appeal against the move was turned down by a court there.

Michel's alleged involvement in the chopper deal surfaced in 2012 as a middleman for swinging the deal in favour of AgustaWestland and for making illegal payment of commissions or kickbacks to the Indian authorities, CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said. Michel was wanted for investigation but he escaped and had avoided joining the probe, he said.

A charge sheet was filed against him in September last year. "An open non-bailable arrest warrant dated September 24, 2015, was issued by the special judge, CBI cases, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi," CBI spokesperson said. On the basis of this warrant, a Red Corner Notice was issued by the Interpol which led to his arrest in Dubai in February 2017, he said.