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The son of a British man held in an Indian jail for greater than 5 years awaiting trial on Tuesday criticised the UK authorities over its response to the case.

Arms vendor Christian Michel, 62, has been detained in India since December 2018 after being extradited from the United Arab Emirates over a helicopter deal.

India’s Supreme Court final month refused to intervene within the case, which has been linked with a Dubai princess who claims she was kidnapped, and has attracted worldwide consideration.

Rights specialists have referred to as for Michel to be freed, with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) arguing his imprisonment lacked a authorized foundation.

It had additionally raised considerations that his extradition was “a de facto swap” for India’s seize and return of an unnamed high-profile detainee to Dubai in March 2018.

Reacting to the newest courtroom determination, one in every of Michel’s sons, Alois, stated the household had beforehand written to ex-UK prime minister Boris Johnson and the nation’s present chief Rishi Sunak in regards to the case.

But he stated they’d not acquired a response from both, which Alois Michel branded an “intolerable attitude towards one of their own nationals”.

The 26-year-old stated they’d additionally tried to foyer the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office however had once more didn’t make headway.

“My father is now an example of the risks it represents to be extradited to India as one’s rights may not be upheld,” Alois Michel stated.

“He has neither been tried nor has he been found guilty even after 63 months in incarceration, which exceeds the expected time for such condemnation, underlining the ridiculousness of this case.”

Michel’s detention has suspected hyperlinks to Sheikha Latifa, the daughter of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

She was captured by Indian commandos at sea in 2018 after attempting to flee the UAE.

In movies secretly despatched to pals she has stated she was kidnapped by her household, one thing her family members have denied, insisting she is being cared for at residence.

In 2022 she assured the UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet throughout a gathering in Paris that she was effectively and requested for “respect for her privacy,” in response to the High Commissioner.

Britain’s Sky News tv has beforehand acquired video of Michel — filmed whereas he was in detention in Dubai — wherein he hyperlinks his pending extradition to Latifa’s case.

He was working within the UAE as a intermediary and marketing consultant for a subsidiary of the Anglo-Italian agency AgustaWestland, itself a subsidiary of aerospace and defence group Finmeccanica.

He was accused of arranging kickbacks to Indian officers to safe a deal to produce 12 helicopters in 2010.

India cancelled the deal in January 2014 amid allegations of bribery.

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