Agustawestland Scam

ED calls Michel's plea for release in AgustaWestland case 'misleading'

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday informed a court that the plea of alleged middleman Christian Michel James for release in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case was "misleading and devoid of any merits." Special judge Sanjay Jindal was hearing James' plea for release on the ground that he had undergone the maximum period of sentence of seven years for the purported offences. The EDs in its reply said, "That with respect to the submissions made by the accused Christian Michel James that he has already undergone the period of maximum sentence prescribed for the offences for which he was extradited to India from United Arab Emirates, so, he is entitled to be released by virtue of the provisions of section 436 A of CrPC it is most respectfully submitted that the aforesaid submissions are misleading and devoid of any merits." Section 436 A of the erstwhile CrPC deals with maximum period for which an under trial prisoner can be detained. The ED reply said under the prevention o

AgustaWestland case: HC reserves order on accused Gupta's plea to quash NBW

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a plea filed by businessman and AgustaWestland case accused Shravan Gupta who sought quashing of a non-bailable warrant in a money laundering case probed by the ED, officials said. A Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court had issued an "open ended" NBW against him in August 2020. Gupta is alleged to have left for the UK (London) in 2019 after the federal probe agency summoned him for questioning. An Interpol Red Notice was issued against him in August 2023. The ED filed a supplementary chargesheet in February 2022 naming Gupta as an accused in the VVIP chopper case. It has attached assets worth Rs 21 crore in the probe as part of two money laundering investigations against Gupta, director of real estate company MGF Developments. The second PMLA case against is over Rs 180 crore. According to officials, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna on Wednesday heard Gupta's plea of quashing the NBW issued against him. The judge

AgustaWestland case: Delhi HC eases bail terms for Christian Michel James

Delhi High Court eases bail conditions for Christian Michel in the ₹3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case, allowing cash surety and deferring passport deposit due to expiry

Delhi HC asks ED to respond to Christian Michel's plea to modify bail terms

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the Enforcement Directorate's response on a plea by alleged middleman Christian Michel James seeking modification of certain conditions imposed on him while granting bail in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on James' plea in which he sought the bail condition of furnishing a surety of Rs 5 lakh be waived. The court listed the matter for hearing on April 22. While granting bail to James in the money laundering case, the high court on March 4 had directed him to furnish a personal bond and surety of Rs 5 lakh each besides surrendering his passport before the trial court. The accused said the condition requiring him to furnish a surety from India may be modified or waived as he is a foreign national and has no known relatives or deep-rooted connections here. "Given his lack of personal ties in the country, it is impossible for him to provide su

Agusta-Westland case: Court seeks jail conduct report of Christian Michel

A court here on Wednesday directed the director general of Delhi prisons to submit a report on the conduct of Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland case, during his incarceration. Hearing James' application for production of conduct report, Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal said, "Issue notice of the above application to the ED as well as to the superintendent (of the) jail concerned (in) Tihar with directions to the DG (Prisons), Delhi, to file a consolidated report qua the above application positively on or before March 18." The court previously imposed bail conditions in the cases against James, who was extradited from Dubai in December 2018 before being arrested by the CBI and the ED later. James is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case. The other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The CBI, in its chargesheet, claimed an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the AgustaWestland de

Agusta-Westland case: Christian Michel refuses bail, cites 'security risks'

Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in AgustaWestland case, on Friday offered to "finish his sentence" and leave India instead of walking out on bail owing to "security risks". James was addressing special judge Sanjeev Aggarwal when he made the plea. Following the reprieve in the CBI and ED cases against him, the special court imposed the necessary bail conditions for releasing him on bail. While the Delhi High Court on March 4 granted him bail in the ED case and directed for saddling Michel with the necessary bail riders, the Supreme Court on February 18 granted the relief in the CBI case subject to the trial court's conditions. On Friday, the judge asked James, "How are you now? God has been kind to you in the last two months. You have got bail in both cases." James, however, said, "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." The judge asked Michel how could he continu

HC to pass order on Christian Michel's bail in AgustaWestland case today

The Delhi High Court will on Tuesday deliver its verdict on the bail plea of alleged middleman Christian Michel James in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who reserved the verdict on February 28 after hearing the parties, is scheduled to pronounce the judgement at 4 pm. The Supreme Court granted bail to him in the CBI case on February 18. Probe agencies reported irregularities in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from Italian manufacturing company AgustaWestland. The ED's counsel had opposed Michel's plea, saying the British national did not meet the "twin tests" for grant of bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and was a flight risk. Michel's lawyer sought the relief on grounds that he had already spent a substantial amount of time in custody. He had submitted while the anti-money laundering law has a maximum punishment of seven years, he spent over six years in jail. James was extradited from Dubai in December

SC grants bail to AgustaWestland 'middleman' Christian Michel James

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed James was in custody for the past six years while the investigation in the matter was still underway

Agusta Westland scam: SC defers bail hearing of British national to Feb 18

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred to February 18 the bail hearing of alleged middleman Christian Michel James, accused in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland corruption case. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta adjourned the hearing after the CBI counsel sought time. The top court granted three weeks time and posted the hearing on February 18. On December 6, the apex court issued notice to CBI and directed it to file its reply within four weeks. The alleged scam is over the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from chopper design and manufacturing company AgustaWestland. James moved the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court's bail rejection order passed on September 25. James, a British national, was extradited from Dubai in December, 2018, and was arrested subsequently. The high court had dismissed his bail plea, observing there was no significant change in circumstances from the time when his previous pleas were rejected. He is among the three alleged middleme

AgustaWestland case: Court directs AIIMS to arrange surgery for James

A Delhi court has directed AIIMS to arrange hip replacement surgery for jailed British national Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman arrested in 2018 in a money laundering case connected to the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper case. Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal passed the order on an application filed by James who has claimed that his total hip replacement surgery could not be avoided, considering that he was suffering from "excruciating pain" in day-to-day activities. James, who was extradited in 2018, claimed that the doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) had advised the surgery. "The Director, AIIMS is requested to arrange for the total hip surgery, as advised by the doctors of AIIMS as per the medical prescription dated December 30, 2024, and to fix the surgery i.e. total hip replacement, as stated in the report, preferably, in the first/second week of February, 2025 as per the convenience of the operating surgeon," the judge said in an .

AgustaWestland chopper scam: SC denies bail to Christian Michel James

The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied bail to Christian Michel James, an alleged middlemen in AgustaWestland chopper scam cases, who is being probed by both the CBI and Enforcement Directorate. The Rs 3,600-crore alleged scam relates to the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala said James' argument that he be released on bail on ground that he has served half of the maximum sentence in the cases cannot be accepted. It, however, said James may pursue his remedy of regular bail before the trial court in the cases. James has sought bail under section 436A of CrPC which says that a person can be released on bail if he has completed half of the maximum sentence prescribed for the offence.

AgustaWestland scam: SC to hear bail pleas of Christian Michel James on Tue

The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would hear on February 7 the bail pleas of Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper scam in which the CBI and the ED have lodged two separate cases. The matter came up for hearing before a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala, which said the pleas would be heard next Tuesday. The Rs 3,600-crore alleged scam relates to the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland. In May last year, the apex court had sought the responses of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the bail pleas of James. During an earlier hearing, the counsel for the accused had said the case was covered under section 436A of the CrPC (maximum period for which an under trial prisoner can be detained) and James had served 50 per cent of the sentence for the offence allegedly committed by him. The accused was extradited from Dubai in December 2018 a

SC to hear pleas of SP's Azam Khan, AgustaWestland chopper scam accused

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud is scheduled to hear two bail pleas filed by Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper scam case

VVIP chopper scam: CBI court takes cognizance of supplementary charge sheet

A special court on Monday took cognisance of the CBI's supplementary charge sheet filed in connection with Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper scam

AgustaWestland scam: CBI files chargesheet against ex-Defence Secretary

The CBI has filed a supplementary chargesheet in the Rs 3,700-crore AgustaWestland scam against former Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and four IAF personnel

AgustaWestland: HC asks CBI, ED to respond to bail pleas of Christian James

The Delhi High Court Monday sought response of the CBI and ED on bail pleas of alleged middleman Christian Michel James, who is lodged in jail in connection with alleged AgustaWestland scam

Court refuses to cancel NBWs against business tycoon Shravan Gupta

The court dismissed Gupta's application seeking cancellation of the NBWs, saying it was 'without any merit'

AgustaWestland: Michel bought tickets worth Rs 92 lakh for 2 IAF officers

Tickets worth Rs 1.6 crore were booked by Supreme Airways out of the funds received from Global Services FZE of Michel in the account of Media Exim Pvt Ltd

AgustaWestland chopper scam: Delhi court takes cognisance of chargesheet

The Rouse Avenue court in Delhi had on Monday reserved its order in the matter after special public prosecutor DP Singh, representing CBI, wrapped up his submission in the matter

AgustaWestland Chopper scam case: Delhi court defers hearing to Sept 25

A Delhi court deferred the hearing to Friday on cognizance of supplementary charge sheet filed in connection with the alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal