The Delhi High Court rejected a plea by Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, challenging a trial court’s decision denying his release from prison after serving a seven-year sentence. A Division Bench upheld the trial court’s ruling, stating that the petition lacked merit. Michel, a British national, had sought release claiming he had completed the maximum punishment for his extradited offenses.
The High Court dismissed Michel’s appeal against the lower court’s refusal to release him, citing his ongoing charges under Section 467 of the Indian Penal Code, which carries a potential life imprisonment sentence. The Special Judge emphasized that previous court orders had addressed the issues raised by Michel, indicating that reconsideration was unwarranted. The trial court’s decision was based on the Supreme Court’s ruling that Section 436A of the CrPC did not apply due to the serious nature of the Section 467 IPC charge.
Christian Michel, a key figure in the alleged Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland scam involving VVIP helicopter procurement, faces accusations of corruption, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering. Extradited to India in 2018, he has been in custody at Tihar Jail following arrests by the CBI and the ED. The legal proceedings against him continue amidst the complex web of charges and legal interpretations.
