Delhi court slams Tihar officials for failing to justify Michel’s shifting

 

 

 

A DELHI court on Thursday lashed out at the Tihar Jail authorities for failing to justify shifting of Christian Michel, arrested in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, to a high security cell in isolation, saying it will start an inquiry if it does not get a proper response. Special Judge Arvind Kumar said Michel has been lodged in jail for last 70 days and what happened suddenly due to which he has now been shifted to the high security ward. 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.

 

“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 judge asked. The court 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. The Deputy Superintendent also told the court that hard-core criminals like Chhota Rajan and Shahbuddin have been kept in the same ward.