Delhi court issues non-bailable warrant against Michel in VVIP chopper case

The Patiala House Court in Delhi on Saturday issued a non-bailable warrant against British national Christian Michel James and re-issued summons against a company and two other accused in the Rs. 3,600 crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal scam.

The summons were issued as all the accused failed to appear before the court.

Next date for hearing has been scheduled for February 22.

The Enforcement Directorate in June last year had filed a fresh charge sheet against James and three others, including the company in its ongoing money laundering probe in the VVIP chopper scam.

The ED counsel told the court that there was enough evidence against the accused to initiate proceedings.

According to the Enforcement Directorate, Media Exim is a shell company of James and incorporated for facilitating transactions of kickbacks.

The Enforcement Directorate found that of the alleged kickbacks received by James, Rs. 6.33 crore was routed to India through his shell company Media Exim from his Dubai-based Global Services FZE.

James allegedly received around Rs. 225 crore as kickbacks from AgustaWestland for the deal inked for the purchase of 12 helicopters in the guise of transactions for performing multiple work contracts in the country.