Earlier, Christian Michel James, an alleged intermediary in the AgustaWestland case, expressed on Friday his willingness to “serve out his sentence” and exit India instead of being released on bail due to “security concerns.”
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has asked Tihar Jail authorities to respond to a complaint by Christian Michel James, a British national accused in the AgustaWestland case. James has alleged that someone tried to poison him while he was in jail.
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Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal has ordered the Director General (Prisons) of Tihar Jail to submit a status report on this matter. The judge called the allegations “specific serious allegations” and asked for details of the action taken. The report must be submitted by April 16, 2025.
James has also complained of pain after undergoing surgery on February 11, 2025. The court has directed the jail superintendent to ensure that James is “positively” taken to the orthopedic department of AIIMS on April 7, 2025, for medical treatment.
Earlier, Christian Michel James, an alleged intermediary in the AgustaWestland case, expressed on Friday his willingness to “serve out his sentence” and exit India instead of being released on bail due to “security concerns.”
Addressing special judge Sanjeev Aggarwal, James stated,
“Delhi is just a larger prison. My family cannot come to me… My security is at risk. I would rather complete my sentence and leave the country.”
This plea came after the special court set the necessary bail conditions following favorable rulings in both the CBI and ED cases against him.
Who is Christian Michel James?
Christian Michel James is a British citizen accused of being a middleman in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal case. He was extradited from Dubai, where he had spent four months in custody, and brought to India on December 4, 2018.
The case involves alleged corruption and irregularities in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from the Italian company AgustaWestland. Investigative agencies have accused James of being one of the three key middlemen in the deal, along with Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has mentioned in its chargesheet that the scam caused a financial loss of “398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore)” to the Indian exchequer. The controversial deal was signed on February 8, 2010, for the purchase of VVIP helicopters at a cost of “556.262 million euros.”
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a chargesheet against Christian Michel James in June 2016.
According to ED, James allegedly received “30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore)” from AgustaWestland. The agency claims that this money was part of kickbacks paid in the helicopter deal.
The next hearing on this matter is expected after the jail authorities submit their report.
