Delhi High Court reserves verdict in AgustaWestland accused's plea for quashing non-bailable warrant against him
The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case concerns a 2010 agreement between the Indian government and AgustaWestland, a British-Italian helicopter design and manufacturing company, for the purchase of 12 helicopters meant for VVIP transport. The contract deal was allegedly riddled with corruption, involving kickbacks and bribes to Indian officials to secure it.
Gupta had allegedly created an offshore corporate structure to launder the proceeds of crime generated by a co-accused in the case, who also reportedly received the same as kickbacks. According to the ED, Gupta received proceeds of crime amounting to approximately Rs 28.69 crore. He allegedly left the country in 2019 and has failed to join the probe despite multiple summons and warrants. A trial court issued a non-bailable warrant against him on August 31, 2020. The ED made Gupta an accused in the case in February 2022 in a supplementary chargesheet.
Before the court of Justice Neena Bansal, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for Gupta, informed the court that Gupta cannot participate in the probe physically but is available to join online. It was also submitted that a fresh application has been filed seeking permission to appear virtually.
According to a press release by the ED, after Pahwa sought an adjournment, Justice Krishna noted that the matter had previously been argued by both parties on two occasions, after which Pahwa requested an adjournment. The court observed that such conduct is 'unbecoming of a senior advocate' and reserved the matter for verdict.
In May, hearing an application moved by Christian Michel James, an accused and alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal of Rouse Avenue Court said that it was 'sad to see that the trial has not started in seven years'. (https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/trial-not-started-7-years-judge-agustawestland-middleman-christian-michel-james-10038001/)
James, who was extradited from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2018 and has been in Tihar jail for close to seven years, had moved an application earlier requesting adequate security measures in prison, alleging that his tea was being poisoned and that there were threats to his life.
—-
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
27 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
‘At least a year' before India-UK trade deal is operational
New Delhi: The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the UK, signed in London on Thursday, will take at least a year to become operational, as it requires approval from the British Parliament, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said on Friday.'In the UK, it will take almost a year or so before it is ratified in Parliament,' Barthwal stated at a media said that the agreement must be approved by both houses of Parliament — the House of Commons and the House of Lords. There is also likely to be a select committee discussion on the issue. In India, the deal has already been approved by the Union Cabinet. No parliamentary approval is required here for free trade agreements to be to discussions with his British counterpart, Barthwal said the UK has expressed willingness to ratify the agreement in Parliament at the said that the British government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is keen on the early implementation of the to Barthwal, the Indian government would utilise the time for capacity building of exporters and other claimed that the deal would bring significant benefits to several labour-intensive sectors, including textiles, leather, footwear and gems & will India's auto, farm sectors benefit from UK trade deal?.'Four times concessions'On the auto sector, Barthwal said, 'India has secured market access to the tune of four times the concessions given to the UK on electric vehicles in the British market.'The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), which represents major vehicle and vehicular engine manufacturers in the country, welcomed the agreement, saying that it would open new trade opportunities across industries.'The commitments made by the Government of India on automobile sector tariffs strike a thoughtful balance — addressing consumer interests while supporting the broader goals of Indian industry,' said Shailesh Chandra, SIAM who is also the Managing Director of Tata Passenger Vehicles, added, 'We view this agreement as part of a wider strategic engagement and believe it opens new avenues for collaboration and opportunity with a key global partner.'Commerce Secretary Barthwal clarified that no concessions would be given to the UK in the import of electric, hybrid and hydrogen-powered vehicles in the first five years of the implementation of the deal.'Market access in EV is given mostly in the high price segment of vehicles priced above 80,000 British pounds,' he said.
Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Epstein's ex-girlfriend answers questions on '100 different people' tied to him
The Department of Justice has finished questioning Ghislaine Maxwell, sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's ex-girlfriend. She was asked questions on "100 different people" linked to the late financier, her lawyer said on Saturday. British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and US financier Jeffrey Epstein.(AFP) In the interrogation by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Maxwell was asked "every possible thing you could imagine", David Oscar Markus was quoted as saying by the New York Post. The attorney said Maxwell answered all questions "honestly, truthfully, to the best of her ability", and never refused to respond to anything. Ghislaine Maxwell was British socialite and Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend. She is currently serving a 20-year-sentence at a prison in Tallahassee, Florida, after being convicted of lending support to her boyfriend in sexually abusing underage girls. She was interviewed over the course of two days at a courthouse in Tallahassee. Maxwell's questioning comes as focus returns to the Jeffrey Epstein case and a growing demand for a release of documents that could reveal more on the sex trafficking probe. When asked about Maxwell's questioning, US President Donald Trump said he doesn't "know anything about the conversation". He also said that while he had the ability to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, he hasn't thought about it. 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about,' Trump said Friday at the White House before departing for a trip to Scotland. The US President also said it was "no time to be talking about pardons". Trump is also facing questions on his ties with Epstein. The two shared a friendship in the 1990s but had a falling out in 2004. While some reports have claimed that Trump is among those named in the Epstein Files, there is no evidence linking the President to the pedophile's crimes. A Wall Street Journal report recently claimed that Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump about being mentioned in the file "multiple times", but the White House rejected the claims.
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Investment intent of Rs 7,808cr at textile summit
1 2 3 4 5 Bhubaneswar: State govtsigned 33 memoranda of understanding with investment intent of Rs 7,808 crore and the potential to create jobs for over 53,300 people in the textile and apparel sector during the inaugural session of Odisha Tex 2025 investment summit here on Friday. Inaugurating the summit, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, "Odisha is going to be the textile hub of eastern India. Odisha TEX 2025 is not just an event, it is a declaration that Odisha is ready to lead eastern India's textile revolution." The strategic move is set to transform Odisha into a hub for apparel and technical textiles, with participation from more than 160 companies, including industry giants like Page Industries, First Step Baby Wear, KPR Mills and Sportking. Among the MoUs, Hindalco Industries Limited will invest Rs 200 crore to set up apparel manufacturing units in Keonjhar and Sambalpur districts. The two units have the potential to create direct employment for 2,400 people, official sources said. Majhi announced an increase in employment cost subsidy under the Odisha Technical Textile & Apparel Policy 2022, raising it from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 per month for male workers and from Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 per month for female workers. He announced the formation of a dedicated task force under the industries department to ensure fast-track implementation and full govt support for investors. "Odisha offers the most attractive incentive packages in the country under its Industrial Policy Resolution 2022 and the Odisha Apparel & Technical Textiles Policy 2022, backed by excellent infrastructure and governance," said the CM. Besides, two state-of-the-art textile and footwear parks with plug-and-play facilities for global standard manufacturing were launched, and modern workers' hostels to enhance industrial stability were announced. The govt also signed MoUs for skill development, enabling youth and especially women, to gain expertise in automated garmenting, textile machinery and wearable technologies. The CM also announced an ambitious vision to create over 1 lakh jobs in textiles and apparel by 2030, with plans to expand new textile clusters in Balangir, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam and Cuttack. The event, organised by the state govt, attracted over 650 delegates, including global brands, leading textile and apparel companies, investors, technology providers, startups and senior govt officials. The CM also declared that Odisha Tex will become an annual event, showcasing the state's rich handloom legacy and its foray into modern textiles, apparel, and technical textiles ecosystems. Industries minister Sampad Chandra Swain, minister for handloom, textiles and handicrafts, Pradeep Bal Samant, Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja, development commissioner Anu Garg, and industries secretary Hemant Sharma, among others, were present.
