AgustaWestland deal: Special court issues warrant against Michel James

A special court for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) related cases on Thursday issued fresh open-ended non-bailable warrant (NBW) against British national Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam.

The court also issued summons against a company and two other accused in connection with the helicopter deal.

This came weeks after the CBI sent a request to the designated central authorities of UAE, seeking to extradite James.

According to sources, the investigation revealed that James is one of the key middlemen in the VVIP helicopters purchase from AgustaWestland.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also filed a chargesheet against James and two other middlemen.

 

James has been accused by the CBI and the ED of working at the behest of AgustaWestland and its parent Italian major Finmeccanica.

He has also been accused of routing funds to India meant to bribe officials.