AgustaWestland case: Court rejects alleged middleman Christian Michel's plea for release

On Friday (August 8), a Delhi court rejected the plea filed by Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. It was on the grounds that he had undergone the maximum period of sentence of seven years for the corruption case. In an order dated August 7, Special Judge Sanjay Jindal said and as quoted by news agency PTI, "Considering the allegations under Section 467 of the IPC which entails life imprisonment, it cannot be said that the accused has already undergone the period of maximum punishment prescribed for the alleged offences."

As per the court, apart from offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy and bribery, the CBI has also accused James of violating Section 467 i.e. forgery. The court mentioned that the punishment for the same is life imprisonment.

In the hearing the court said, “Considering the allegations u/sec. 467 IPC which entails life imprisonment, it cannot be said that the accused has already undergone the period of maximum punishment prescribed for the alleged offences.”

On Wednesday, James had informed the court that it isn't safe for him to leave the national capital. "If I put one step out in Delhi, new charges will be placed on me. It is not safe. I do not want to come back to this court with new charges," said James.