new Delhi. The Delhi High Court Friday dismissed the bail plea of Christian James Michel, an alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam.
Justice Manoj Ohri told Michel’s counsel Aljo K. Joseph, CBI counsel D.P. Singh and Additional Solicitor General S.V. A detailed order for Raju is expected to be made available to the ED later in the day.
British national Michel was extradited to India from the UAE on December 5, 2018. On his arrival in India, he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and a few days later, by the Financial Investigation Agency, the Enforcement Directorate. Since then he is lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail. Michel’s bail plea has been rejected by various courts on several occasions.
Michel had recently sought bail in connection with the cases registered against him by the CBI and the ED, on the grounds that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) concluded that his detention was arbitrary.
In his petition, James had argued that his extradition to India from the United Arab Emirates was an equal pro for the Indian authorities to deport Princess Latifah of Dubai.
On September 19, 2020, the CBI had filed a supplementary charge sheet against 15 accused, including Michel and accused-approver Rajiv Saxena, in connection with alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.
The CBI had earlier filed a chargesheet in this case on September 1, 2017 against the then Air Force Chief SP Tyagi and 11 other accused.
On 1 January 2014, India canceled the contract with Finmeccanica’s British subsidiary AgustaWestland for the supply of 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF for alleged breach of contractual obligations and paying a bribe of Rs 423 crore. .
—AnyTV News
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