No Court Order, Only a Judicial Opinion, On Extraditing AgustaWestland Middleman

THE WIRE
September 19, 2018

Contrary to initial media reporting on the potential extradition of AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel, a UAE court has only offered its legal opinion but not issued an official order.

The opinion of the Dubai court, The Wire has learned, is that UAE authorities do have the power to extradite a British national (Michel) to a third country (India). This was the question that UAE authorities had posed to the court in the last week of August 2018.

On September 2, the court delivered its opinion and stated that the government was well within its rights to do so.

There is, however, at the moment, no official court order clearing the extradition of the British middleman to India. The Indian mission in Dubai, The Wire understands, is in the process of getting more details.

Michel is one of the three middlemen being investigated by Indian investigative agencies in what is commonly referred to as the VVIP chopper scam, shorthand for a 2010 helicopter deal in which bribes were allegedly paid to former IAF chief S.P. Tyagi.

Indian authorities have for the last year been trying to extradite Michel, who was arrested by UAE authorities in Dubai in early 2017 on the basis of a ‘red corner notice’ issued by Interpol over his alleged role in the helicopter scam.

Last month it was reported that Indian authorities have submitted their evidence to a Dubai adjudicating authority and have sought the extradition of the British middleman.

While numerous media reports on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning indicated that a UAE court had approved the extradition of Michel to India, this is not the case.

It appears as if UAE authorities had merely asked the court for an opinion on whether it was possible to extradite a foreign national to a third country like India.

It is unclear at the moment how the extradition process will continue to unfold – whether the UAE government will take a final call or whether it will be decided through further hearings a local.

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