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The Independent
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Children of Briton jailed in India for seven years without trial protest Modi's UK visit
As prime minister Sir Keir Starmer toasted what he called a 'historic day' for British- Indian relations at Chequers, just yards from Downing Street two young Britons stood with posters taped to their jackets and baggage. Alois Christian Michel and his sister Alienor were not protesting a government policy or trade deal. They were pleading for the freedom of their father Christian Michel. Michel, a British national, has spent over six years incarcerated in India's notorious Tihar Jail without trial. Despite bail orders from both the Delhi High Court and India's Supreme Court, he remains imprisoned after failing to meet the conditions set – leaving him trapped in a legal and political limbo with no end in sight. Michel's son, who gave an exclusive interview to The Independent during the protest with his sister, says they have lost patience with successive UK governments. 'The UK government has miserably failed to address human rights violations across Commonwealth countries, particularly in India,' says Alois, 27. 'A British national such as my father has now been illegally detained by Indian authorities for seven years, yet neither the previous government nor the present one has taken any concrete action against this inhumane conduct.' Their protest took place at the same time as Sir Keir and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi were meeting to approve a sweeping trade agreement worth £6bn in investment that is expected to boost Britain's GDP by nearly £5bn. Referring to British officials, Alois says: 'They say they'll 'raise interest' in the case. After seven years, is that all? It's ridiculous.' Michel, a businessman and consultant, was extradited from Dubai to India in 2018 over allegations he acted as a middleman in a 2010 defence deal involving Italian firm AgustaWestland. Indian investigators allege bribes were paid to secure a £322m contract to supply helicopters – charges he denies. India's legal system is notoriously slow and overburdened, which is why it has a law stipulating that a suspect must be released from prison once they have served half of what would have been the maximum sentence if they were convicted. In Michel's case that was seven years, meaning he should have been released midway through 2021. His lawyers argue he should be freed unconditionally – instead, the courts have granted him bail while investigators continue to probe his case. It means that Michel remains in prison because he cannot meet the stringent conditions imposed. He has no address in India, no family members in the country, and no one willing to act as a guarantor – factors that have rendered the bail order effectively meaningless. At a hearing in April, Michel revealed to the court that the only person willing to vouch for him was Jo Johnson, former MP and brother to ex-prime minister Boris Johnson. Back in London, his children remain cut off from their father, their only contact being brief, choked phone calls. 'The last time I spoke to him was last weekend. Less than 10 seconds,' Alois tells The Independent. 'That's all we get. I haven't seen him in nearly seven and a half years.' He was just 20 when his father was extradited. 'I was in the middle of my studies. Everything just stopped,' he recalls. 'Emotionally, financially, it's been really tough. And for my sister… she was just a teenager when our father was taken away.' The siblings have never visited their father in India. The reason, Alois says, is fear. 'He's in Tihar prison. I would like to see him, but how much am I risking by going there? In a country that doesn't follow its own laws, they could arrest me too – use me as leverage with my father,' he says. 'It's too dangerous. And I won't have me put in a position where my father is forced to do anything because of my arrest in India.' They have justification to be concerned. Michel has alleged two separate attempts on his life in prison, claiming that a hired killer confessed to being paid to assassinate him. Despite his appeals, no meaningful investigation was launched, he claims. 'A professional killer tried to kill me twice,' Michel told The Independent during an earlier court appearance. 'He was paid money, and they never investigated who paid him or why.' Michel's legal team argues that the entire case is politically motivated, a claim that gained traction after the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled in 2021 that his detention was arbitrary and called for his immediate release. 'The United Nations has said he should be released. Indian law states he should be released. And yet, here we are,' says Michel's son. 'All we're asking is for the Indian government to follow its own laws. And for the UK government to hold them to it.' 'We really just desperately want something to happen,' says Alois. 'Some people wait in hope. In our case, we wait in despair.' As his ordeal has stretched on, Michel's health has suffered. Earlier this year he was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital in Delhi for hip surgery, and he has walked with a cane when attending court appearances since. 'We have one fear now,' Alois says. 'That he never comes back.' The broader implications of Michel's detention extend far beyond a single family's suffering. His case has become a litmus test of the UK government's willingness to protect its citizens abroad – particularly when doing so risks complicating lucrative diplomatic engagements. 'The people of Great Britain gave a clear and resounding mandate to the Labour Party to reclaim the country from the grip of bureaucratic dominance and restore the nation's pride,' says Michel's son. 'But this government, too, is proving weak – submissive to bureaucracy, unwilling to defend its own citizens.' Trade, security cooperation and joint efforts against organised crime dominated the headlines around the Modi-Starmer summit. But despite the family's heartbreak, Michel's imprisonment was not raised publicly during Modi's UK visit. Neither leader allowed the media to ask any questions and their talks took place in the prime minister's country residence, away from any public displays of anger in London. 'We are just asking both governments to respect the UN ruling,' Alois says. 'Follow the law, and let him go.'
CNA
11 hours ago
- Business
- CNA
Air India warned by regulator over 'systemic' lapses in fatigue management and training
NEW DELHI: Air India has been warned by India's aviation regulator that it could face enforcement action for breaching safety standards related to crew fatigue management and training, government notices to the airline seen by Reuters showed. The airline self-reported the problems, which occurred this year and last year, to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last month, just days after one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners crashed in Ahmedabad city, killing 260 people. Four government notices, dated Jul 23, criticised Air India for repeated failures in safety compliance and follow many other warnings in the past. Potential regulatory action could include fines or ordering that executives be removed from their jobs. They cite a combined 29 violations, including pilots not being given mandatory rest, poor compliance with simulator training requirements, lack of training for a high-altitude airport and flying on international routes with insufficient cabin crew. "Despite repeated warnings and enforcement action of non-compliance in the past, systemic issues related to compliance monitoring, crew planning, and training governance remain unresolved," said one of the notices. "The recurrence of such violations suggests a failure to establish and enforce effective control mechanisms," it said. Air India said in a statement that the notices related to voluntary disclosures made over the past year, and it will respond to the regulator. "We remain committed to the safety of our crew and passengers," it added. The DGCA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. INVESTIGATIONS AND WARNINGS Air India has come under intense scrutiny since the Ahmedabad crash, which was the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. A preliminary report found that the fuel control switches were flipped almost simultaneously after takeoff and there was pilot confusion in the cockpit. One pilot asked the other why he cut off the fuel and the other responded that he hadn't done so, the report said. Separately, the EU's aviation agency said this month it will investigate Air India Express, the airline's budget service, after Reuters reported the carrier did not change the engine parts of an Airbus A320 in a timely manner. India's watchdog also found in May that Air India flew three Airbus planes even though they were overdue for checks on emergency equipment. The crash and the warning notices have increased challenges for Indian conglomerate Tata, which took over the airline from the government in 2022 with the aim of turning it into a world-class airline. This week's government notices were addressed to senior executives, including the airline's director of flight operations, Pankul Mathur, and its director of training, Amar Bhatia. One of the notices said there had been "weekly rest violations" detected for two pilots in June 2024 and one in June 2025, though it did not say how many extra hours the pilots flew. Another notice said that last year, two pilots took simulator training but did not start flying within the prescribed time limit, a lapse that requires them to undergo training again. In April this year, a pilot flew from Kathmandu without the mandatory special simulator training required for the airport, the notice added. Kathmandu has mountainous terrain and a high-altitude table-top runway. Table-top runways have steep drops at one or both ends. "This is substantially risky because Kathmandu is an airport which requires prior training ... in case of any emergency (pilots) will not have the time to peruse a manual," Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The warnings also included concerns that cabin safety teams has "repeatedly failed to adhere" to rules, as four international flights in April and May this year flew with fewer cabin crew than the 15 required. One senior Indian government official with direct knowledge of the notices said the administration was concerned that "Air India is taking things for granted", adding "we have given them many warnings." Air India received nine warning notices in the past six months, the government told parliament this week. Last year, authorities warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations. Eleven instances involved the Air India group.
Reuters
13 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Air India warned over 'systemic' lapses in fatigue management and training, documents show
NEW DELHI, July 24 (Reuters) - Air India has been warned by India's aviation regulator that it could face enforcement action for breaching safety standards related to crew fatigue management and training, government notices to the airline seen by Reuters showed. The airline self-reported the problems, which occurred this year and last year, to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last month, just days after one of its Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 787 Dreamliners crashed in Ahmedabad city, killing 260 people. Four government notices, dated July 23, criticised Air India for repeated failures in safety compliance and follow many other warnings in the past. Potential regulatory action could include fines or ordering that executives be removed from their jobs. The latest notices cite a combined 29 violations, including pilots not being given mandatory rest, poor compliance with simulator training requirements, lack of training for a high-altitude airport and flying on international routes with insufficient cabin crew. "Despite repeated warning and enforcement action of non-compliance in the past, systemic issues related to compliance monitoring, crew planning, and training governance remain unresolved," said one of the notices. "The recurrence of such violations suggests a failure to establish and enforce effective control mechanisms," it said. Air India said in a statement that the notices related to voluntary disclosures made over the past year, and it will respond to the regulator. "We remain committed to the safety of our crew and passengers," it added. The DGCA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Air India has come under intense scrutiny since the Ahmedabad crash, which was the world's aviation disaster in a decade. A preliminary report found that the fuel control switches were flipped almost simultaneously after takeoff and there was pilot confusion in the cockpit. One pilot asked the other why he cut off the fuel and got a response that he hadn't done so, the report said.
Hans India
19 hours ago
- General
- Hans India
Indian naval ships' wrap up their Singapore trip
Visakhapatnam: As part of its operational deployment at Southeast Asia, Indian Naval ships Delhi, Shakti, Satpura, and Kiltan concluded their Singapore Port Call. The Commanding Officers of the Eastern Fleet ships, under the command of Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF) Rear Admiral Susheel Menon, participated in a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Kranji War Memorial, paying homage to the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during the World War II. During the four-day visit that ended on July 19, FOCEF called on the High Commissioner of India to Singapore and the Fleet Commander of the Republic of Singapore Navy and discussed further opportunities and avenues for enhancing bilateral naval ties and maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Also, the FOCEF held informal discussions with the academic community on maritime security and regional developments. Professional interactions between the two navies, including cross-deck visits, subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs), and friendly sports activities, aimed at strengthening interoperability and mutual understanding. A deck reception was hosted onboard INS Shakti, bringing together RSN personnel, eminent persons, members of the diplomatic community and the Indian diaspora to celebrate and strengthen the bonds of maritime partnership. The port call to Singapore highlighted the Indian Navy's commitment and contribution to regional stability, security, and maritime cooperation in line with the vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
BBC News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Najeeb Ahmed: Delhi court closes investigation into JNU student's disappearance
Nine years ago, an Indian student vanished into thin air. Najeeb Ahmed was studying biotechnology at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, when he mysteriously went missing in October night before his disappearance, the then 27-year-old who lived in one of the university's residential hostels was involved in a scuffle with members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a right-wing student group. The students have denied any involvement in his disappearance. For years, India's crime-fighting agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has been trying to figure what may have happened to Mr Ahmed - the agency took over the case from city police in 2017. Now a court in Delhi has finally shut the investigation after the CBI said it had exhuasted all possible leads in the case. "As a parting note, the court earnestly hopes that Najeeb Ahmed shall be traced soon," the court said in the order, which was announced last month. Mr Ahmed's family, however, have alleged the inquiry was not conducted in a proper manner and said they would appeal the decision in a higher court. "What message does it send, that India's premier investigating agency has not been able to find a missing student from one of India's best universities?" Mr Ahmed's mother Fatima Nafees told BBC Hindi. "We will not give up until we find our son."Born in a village in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Ahmed, the son of a carpenter, was the eldest of four. His family made many sacrifices to support his JNU education."After completing his undergraduate degree, he was adamant that he wanted to study at JNU," Ms Nafees said. "I told him you can take admission, but you won't stay in the hostel. You are too naive. But he didn't listen to me." On the night of 14 October, 2016, Mr Ahmed reportedly got into a scuffle with a group of students affiliated to ABVP who were campaigning for hostel elections. JNU is known for its vibrant and intense student politics, with ideological groups often clashing over campus his testimonies to the CBI, his roommate Mohd Qasim said that Mr Ahmed got injured in the altercation and had to be taken to a public hospital, where he was allegedly refused treatment. The doctors told him they could not treat his wounds without a formal crime complaint having been made to the police, his roommate to the court order, Mr Ahmed chose not to file a complaint and returned to campus. He went missing the next day, leaving behind his phone, wallet, and clothes in his hostel room.A CBI report says Mr Ahmed last used his phone and laptop around 10am the day he disappeared. A hostel warden told the agency that he saw Mr Ahmed getting into a tuk-tuk in the morning and leaving campus. Ms Nafees, who had been informed of the scuffle over phone by Mr Ahmed's roommate, was on her way to Delhi to see her son. She arrived in the morning and upon finding him missing, filed a missing persons complaint on 15 October 2016. For days, there was no progress. Protests erupted on campus as students and activists accused authorities of November 2016, Ms Nafees filed a petition in the Delhi High Court, accusing the police of being "slow, misdirected and subjective" and called for a court-monitored probe.A month later, Delhi Police conducted two extensive searches using sniffer dogs across JNU's sprawling campus - but again, nothing was found. In May 2017, the court handed over the investigation to the CBI. A year later, the CBI told the court it had exhausted all possible leads - and asked the bench to close the case. The agency said it had examined more than 500 witnesses, collected information from taxi, bus, train and flight operators, and searched hospitals and morgues, but had found nothing.A one million rupees [$11,600; £8,600] reward for information about Mr Ahmed also failed to yield results, investigators argued. The case dragged on for two more years, when in 2020, Ms Nafees returned to court, this time to challenge the CBI's conclusions. She alleged the agency failed to properly probe the students involved in the scuffle with her son. She said they had a "clear motive", had threatened him, and should have been arrested. The CBI denied all allegations saying they had left "no stone unturned" in looking for Mr agency said it had tracked the phone locations of the nine students involved in the fight with Mr Ahmed that night, but found no evidence linking them to his disappearance. Explaining its decision to finally shut the case, a court in Delhi said that the CBI has investigated "all plausible avenues" thoroughly but "no credible information" could be received about Mr Ahmed's judge dismissed Ms Nafees' plea, noting that while witnesses confirmed verbal threats, there was no "direct or circumstantial" evidence linking Mr Ahmed's disappearance to the fight with ABVP members."Such scuffles and exchanges are not unheard of" in the charged atmosphere of JNU, the order court, however, added that the CBI could reopen the case if new information comes to order has been a huge blow for Mr Ahmed's family and well-wishers. Colin Gonsalves, who represented Ms Nafees in the Delhi High Court in 2018, said he still questioned the investigation. "The police routinely arrest people for minor crimes in India. It's shocking then, that none of the students were taken into custody for questioning," he said. Ms Nafees alleges that her son's religion had affected the seriousness of the investigation."If the victim had been a Hindu boy, would the police have responded the same way?" she asked. "They would have demolished the houses of those suspected," she alleged, referring to the rising instances where homes of individuals accused of crimes are bulldozed by Indian authorities. The BBC has reached out to the CBI for comment. However, the agency has consistently maintained that they have carried out the probe impartially. In 2018, the Delhi High Court had said that they had found no evidence that CBI investigated the case unfairly or "under political compulsions". Ms Nafees says she's not done fighting. Every 15 October, the day her son vanished, she joins a candle march at JNU in his memory. The hope has dimmed, but the wait continues."Sometimes I wonder if I should put a nameplate outside our house," said Nafees Ahmed, his father. "Our house has been renovated. What if he comes, but can't recognise it?"Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
