AgustaWestland: ED names James, two others in fresh chargesheet

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a fresh chargesheet against British national Christian Michel James and two others in its ongoing money laundering probe in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, officials said on Wednesday.

The central agency charged James under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following his role as a middleman for this deal by Finmeccanica, a group firm of AgustaWestland.

The over 1,300-page prosecution complaint (ED chargesheet) has been placed before a special PMLA court here.

Investigators found that James received around Rs 225 crore from AgustaWestland in kickbacks paid by the firm to execute the deal for 12 helicopters in its favour in the "guise of" transactions for performing multiple work contracts in the country.

The court is expected to take cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet, ED sources said.

James and two other middlemen, Guido Ralph Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, have been named as accused in separate investigations conducted by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Both the agencies have also notified an Interpol Red Corner Notice (RCN) against James after a city court issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

An Italian court has revealed that James, a resident of London, was working as a consultant in India for AugustaWestland's AWA101 helicopter deal. Investigators said James is currently staying in Dubai where he has been running his companies.

--IANS

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