New Delhi, Dec 6 (IT): he youth wing of the Congress party has suspended Aljo K Joseph from its membership for defending Christian Michel, the middleman who has been extradited from the UAE for his role in the multimillion AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.

Joseph is a lawyer and has defended Michel in court.

Ordering Joseph's expulsion, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) in a statement sought to disassociate itself from his activities. "Aljo K Joseph appeared in his personal capacity. He did not consult the Youth Congress before appearing in the case," IYC said in a statement.

Joseph's suspension comes on a day when Delhi's Patiala House Court sent Christian Michel to five days of police custody so that investigating agencies could interrogate him.

Claiming that it had no role in Joseph's decision to defend Michel, the Youth Congress said, "IYC does not endorse such actions."

The statement said IYC has removed Aljo Joseph from its legal department and "expelled" him from the party with immediate effect.

Earlier in the day, when reporters asked Joseph about his position in the Congress party he reportedly said: "I am the national in-charge for Indian Youth Congress's legal department."

British businessman Michel was Wednesday sent to five-day CBI custody by a Delhi court, a day after he was extradited to India from the UAE.

The CBI's plea for custody was opposed by Michel's counsel Joseph and Vishnu Shankaran who said they have not yet received any documents from the agency and that the accused may be remanded to judicial custody.

Suresh Nakhua, a spokesperson of the Mumbai BJP unit, had first claimed that Michel's lawyer Joseph was a Youth Congress functionary, evoking sharp reactions from various quarters.

Following criticism, the Congress expelled Joseph from the party.