The Enforcement Directorate’s charge sheet in the AugustaWestland case, quoted alleged middleman Christian Michel admitting to hiring services to “tone down” the media coverage and influence public opinion. In this connection, the charge sheet mentioned the then Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express Shekhar Gupta and then Express journalist Manu Pubby.
“I engaged a full-time press adviser Guy Douglas to have at least our side reported. The most aggressive journalist was Manu Pubby… Guy Douglas’s first task was to meet Manu Pubby and see if he was willing to listen to our side of the story,” Michel was quoted as saying in the charge sheet, reported The Indian Express.
Gupta, who now heads a digital news agency – The Print, refuted the allegations, adding that the probe by Pubby led to probe and cancellation of the deal. He tweeted that the AgustaWestland stories published by the newspaper was a “proud chapter in the paper’s glorious history.”
In a statement tweeted by The Print’s official handle, Gupta said that the claims made by Michel, as per ED charge sheet were “100 percent untruth, laughable and utterly preposterous.”
‘My Series Backbone of CBI/ED Chargesheet’
Journalist Pubby, who was following the case, said that The Indian Express did not hold back any story and was the backbone of the CBI/ED charge sheet in the case.
He also added that his stories were the first to reveal references to ‘Fam’ and ‘AP’.
‘First to Report,’ Says The Indian Express
The Indian Express, in a statement, said that it was the first publication to report on the alleged route bribe.
“The Indian Express was the first to report on the network of firms used to allegedly route the bribe money to India. Indeed, the first report on Christian Michel and his deep historic links in India was reported by The Indian Express.”The Indian Express Statement
The chrge sheet also mentions that Michel, Guido Haschke and his associate Carlo Gerosa – all middlemen in the case – made payment to defence officials, bureaucrats and political leaders of ruling party.
A total bribe of 70 million euros allegedly exchanged hands in this case in two parts to Christian Michel and Agusta Westland's Guido Haschke.
(With inputs from IANS.)
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