Christian Michel, alleged middleman in AgustaWestland chopper scam case, claimed in Delhi court today that former CBI special director Rakesh Asthana met him in Dubai and threatened to "make his life hell" inside jail if he did not accept the authority of the premier agency in investigation. Christian Michel also told the court that he was put in prison with 16-17 Kashmiri separatist leaders.

Rakesh Asthana, the former CBI Special Director and currently the Civil Aviation Security chief, is among three IPS officers given the top pay scale of Rs.2.25 lakh, according to a Personnel Ministry order. NIA head YC Modi and Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police SS Deswal were also given the same pay scale. All of them are 1984-batch IPS officers.

Rakesh Asthana, number 2 to former CBI chief Alok Verma, was moved out of the premier investigating agency today, just a week after the removal of his boss. The unprecedented public rivalry between the officers involving tit-for-tat corruption allegations and a bribery case against Mr Asthana had engulfed the country's premier investigating agency in a huge controversy over the last months.