New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed the bail petitions of British Citizen Christian Michel in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate.
The bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri on Friday refused to grant him bail in the case.
Probe agencies, Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had opposed the bail petition filed by alleged middleman alleged middlemen Christian Michel James in connection with the VVIP chopper case.
Earlier, CBI while opposing the plea said, “He has a flight risk and we fear that because the way British government is helping him and he is connected right at the top. If he is given a passport in another name, he might flee and will never return.”
Advocate Aljo K Joseph appeared for Christian Michel argued that all the other accused in the case got bail in 60 days and my client is the only one who hasn’t been given the bail and suffering incarnation. “When all other accused persons are on bail then why I am being singled out,” he said.
Advocate Joseph further argued that 218 witnesses, 1059 documents, the first chargesheet in 2018 (45,000 pages), first supplementary (25,000 pages), nine years of probe still investigation aren’t complete, the prosecution sanctions have yet not come.
“During extradition proceedings, I was detained for two months in Dubai prison. Three years and two months, I have spent in jail in India,” Advocate Aljo K Joseph added.
Earlier the Delhi HC had also asked the investigation agency to file translated copy of the Dubai Supreme Court order related to Michel’s extradition.
Michel’s legal team earlier, claimed that there was alleged illegality perpetuating in the case, as Michel’s Extradition request letter exchanged between India and UAE has not been filed despite the lapse of the last three years.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju and Zoheb Hossain appeared for ED and Advocate DP Singh appeared for CBI in the AgustaWestland matter. Advocate Aljo K Joseph represented the accused, Christian Michel James.
According to the bail petition, the applicant (Michel) will be available to join the investigation any future investigation and trial, as and when required and has never sought to evade the process of law, “The advocates earlier told the court that Michel has made no attempt to suborn witnesses, tamper with documentary evidence, or in any other manner pollute or obstruct the judicial process and further, the applicant undertakes that he shall not, tamper with evidence or influence witnesses, nor is there any reasonable or justifiable apprehension thereof.”
In the matter, the trial court while rejecting Christian Michel’s bail plea had shown its displeasure with the British High Commission for sending a letter addressed to this Court stating that the medical condition of accused Christian Michel James and his pre-trial detention of two and half years may be taken into account when his bail application is considered.”
Christian Michel James was extradited in 2018 after India won the extradition case in Dubai. Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the deal, was deported from the UAE and is currently in judicial custody. The Dubai-based businessman Rajeev Saxena was extradited to India on January 31, 2019, in connection with the Rs 3,600-crore alleged scam relating to the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland. (ANI)
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