Today, On 28th February, The Delhi High Court reserved its order on the bail plea of Christian Michel James in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case related to the AgustaWestland chopper scam. James is accused of being a middleman in the deal for procuring 12 VVIP helicopters. He was extradited from the United Arab Emirates in 2018 to face trial in India. The case involves allegations of corruption and money laundering in the high-profile defense deal.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court reserved its decision regarding the bail application of British national Christian Michel James, who is accused of being a middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, in a case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
James’ lawyer, Aljo Joseph, argued before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma that his client has already served seven years and one month in custody, including time spent in Dubai, thereby completing the maximum potential punishment for the alleged offenses, along with remission.
Also Read: AgustaWestland Case || Supreme Court Grants Bail To ‘Middleman’ Christian Michel James
In contrast, the ED’s counsel contended that the duration of James‘ incarceration in Dubai should not be considered, stating that he has been held for just over six years in an Indian prison.
The ED also emphasized that James poses a flight risk. Joseph countered, saying,
“The purpose of staying in India is to serve the sentence. So I’ve completed seven years with remission.”
James, who was extradited from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2018 to face trial, sought intervention from the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court denied him bail on September 25, 2024.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed charges against James in 2017, alleging that he acted as a consultant for AgustaWestland and served as a middleman in negotiations on behalf of the company.
The CBI claimed that undue favors were granted to AgustaWestland in securing the contract for 12 VVIP helicopters, facilitated by illegal payments made through intermediaries.
According to the agency,
“James had been paid a substantial bribe by M/s AgustaWestland, which was funneled to officers of the Indian Air Force, Ministry of Defence, bureaucrats, politicians, and their families in India to gain favor in the VVIP helicopter deal.”
The ED also charged him with money laundering, initiating a complaint against him on July 3, 2014. James faces charges under Sections 7, 8, 9, 12, and 13(2) in conjunction with Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The case has been scheduled for further hearing on February 28, with the ED counsel instructed to appear in person to argue the matter on that date. Alongside Joseph, advocates Sriram Parakkat and MS Vishnu Shankar also represented Michel.
Michel was extradited to India in December 2018 and has been in jail since then. He is accused of entering into twelve contracts with AgustaWestland to legitimize illicit commissions and Illegal payments totalling 42.27 million euros related to the procurement of VVIP helicopters by the Government of India.
The CBI alleges that bribes estimated at 33 million dollars were transferred through bank accounts in the UK and UAE.
The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal happened during the Congress-led UPA government and became a major corruption case. It is alleged that money was given to middlemen and Indian officials in 2006-07 to secure a deal for helicopters for top politicians.
After these corruption claims, the Indian government ordered a CBI probe on February 12, 2013. Later, in 2014, the ED also filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Case Title: Christian James Michel vs ED
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