Was 31-year-old Christine Bredo the X-factor in Agusta deal?
NEW DELHI: A 31-year-old blonde woman has added a fresh dash of mystery to the AgustaWestland helicopter scam probe. Christine Bredo Spliid is believed to have walked the corridors of power in Delhi and probably helped her employer, middleman Christian Michel, swing the deal in favour of the Anglo-Italian company.
Spliid’s involvement came to light following the ongoing interrogation of the accused persons, including lawyer Gautam Khaitan, officials familiar with the details emerging from the investigation told ET on condition of anonymity.
The sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate are now busy piecing together details of Spliid’s visits to India between 2010 and 2013, the officials said.
“Christine, then in her 20s, was Michel’s front as she met government officials and even political leaders. She appears to have travelled to Dubai and Zurich in connection with the Agusta deal. We are checking all her records with immigration,” a CBI official said.
Spliid, a Danish national living in London, was appointed as director in one of Michel’s companies, Beetel Nut Home Ltd, which he is believed to have used for laundering the money he received as kickbacks.
The CBI has managed to establish her presence in India and Dubai, coinciding with the time frame of negotiations in the Rs 3,600-crore VVIP chopper deal, which was scrapped by the then UPA government in February 2013 after revelations of kickbacks emerged. Officials said the details of her movements will help the probing agencies dig deeper into Michel’s activities.
Investigations so far show that her visits to Dubai coincided with the times Michel was known to be there. “We are in the process of tying up some loose ends before we officially approach UK authorities regarding Christine. We may ask for her custody,” an official said. The CBI is, however, already in touch with the authorities in London at an informal level, he said.
Spliid joined Beetel Nut Home Ltd when the company was incorporated in 2009 and stayed on till 2012, when it was dissolved. The company was registered at 37, Warren Street, London. She continues to hold sole directorship of two companies, French Crystal Decor Limited and Croprotein Ltd, both registered at the same central London address as that used for Beetel Nut.
Now, as per information available with the CBI, Spliid is working on producing a protein bar made with natural ingredients including cricket flour. Last heard, she was trying to get crowdfunding for her project, an official said.
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