The court also questioned why James was kept near a “desperate criminal” and suggested he should be lodged with those accused of “white-collar crimes.”
NEW DELHI: The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has asked Tihar Jail authorities to submit the full file of an inquiry report related to the safety and security of Christian Michel James, a key accused in the VVIP chopper deal case. The court’s direction came on Thursday during a hearing about an old alleged threat to his life while in jail.
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Special Judge Sanjeev has instructed the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of jails to bring the entire inquiry file to the court. This inquiry was conducted in 2019 after there was an alleged attempt on Christian Michel’s life by another inmate in Tihar Jail. The court order stated that the file must be brought through the concerned department.
The judge took this step after the accused, Christian Michel James, claimed that “the report’s findings contradict the statements of witnesses.”
The court has now listed the matter for further hearing on June 6, 2025.
Earlier, the court had issued a bailable warrant against the Superintendent of Jail Number 4 in Tihar for not submitting the inquiry report even after receiving a notice.
However, during the hearing, the officer appeared in court and explained that although the report had been prepared, “it could not reach court due to rainfall.”
The judge accepted the explanation and cancelled the bailable warrant.
During the hearing, the court raised serious concerns about the way Christian Michel James was being held in jail.
The court asked why he was kept in a cell next to a “desperate criminal“ and said that he should instead be housed with “inmates accused of white-collar crimes.”
This questioning came in response to an application filed by Advocate Aljo K Joseph on behalf of Christian Michel James on April 30, 2025. The application requested a fresh look at the inquiry report filed earlier by jail officials.
Background
The inquiry in question dates back to August 29, 2019, when jail authorities submitted a report concluding that there was “no life threat to Christian Michel James.” This investigation was triggered after the British High Commission sent an email to Indian authorities, raising concerns about the safety of the British national.
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The 2019 report was earlier filed during a hearing on a previous application made by Christian Michel regarding his safety inside Tihar Jail.
Who is Christian Michel James?
Christian Michel James is a British national who is facing trial in India in connection with the high-profile VVIP chopper scam case. He was extradited to India from the United Arab Emirates in December 2018. The case involves alleged bribery and corruption in a defence helicopter deal.
