Edited By: Revathi Hariharan
Last Updated: February 07, 2023, 16:15 IST
File photo of AgustaWestland ‘middleman’ Christian Michel. (Image: ANI)
In May 2022, the top court had sought the responses of both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the bail pleas of James.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper scam in which the CBI and the ED have lodged two separate cases.
The Rs 3,600-crore alleged scam relates to the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland.
In May 2022, the top court had sought the responses of both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the bail pleas of James.
At an earlier hearing, James’ counsel had said the case fell under section 436A of the CrPC (the maximum period of detention that can be imposed on an under trial prisoner) and he had served 50 percent of his sentence.
The accused has been in custody since he was extradited from Dubai in December 2018, according to his counsel, adding that the trial against him is still pending.
The lawyer had said the petitioner’s case is that under sections 8 and 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the maximum sentence is five years in jail and he has spent nearly four years in prison.
In March 2022, James had challenged the order of the Delhi High Court that dismissed his bail plea.
Seeking his release in both the CBI and ED cases, the accused had said he was not required for the purpose of investigation and expressed his willingness to cooperate with the probe.
Dismissing the bail pleas in both the cases last year, a trial court had said considering the overall facts and circumstances, the serious nature of accusations, the gravity of the offence and the conduct of the accused, it did not consider it to be a fit case for the grant of bail.
The CBI, in its chargesheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros to the Indian government.
The ED, in its chargesheet filed against James in June 2016, has alleged that James had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland.
He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case. The other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.
(With PTI Inputs)
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