Latest news with #MichelJames
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Give local address or stay in Tihar: SC to Agusta accused
Give local address or stay in Tihar: SC to Agusta accused NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea of AgustaWestland scam accused and British national Christian Michel James for doing away with one of the bail conditions of providing a local address where he would stay after coming out of jail. The court told him that if he could not find a local address, then he had better remain in Tihar jail. Appearing before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sanjay Kumar, Christian's lawyer submitted that he had been in jail for more than six years and he did not know anyone who would arrange a home for him to stay. He said his client had to search for a house himself, which he could only do after coming out of jail. The bench, however, asked him why his family members could not help him to ensure that bail conditions were fulfilled. He replied that he got divorced while he was in custody, and none of his family members are in the country to help him. The bench said that it could not do away with the condition as it would be difficult for authorities to track him. It said that family members of the accused could help him out, and he had to provide a local address to get bail. "You have a permanent address in Tihar Jail. You stay there. What else can be done?" the bench said and dismissed his plea. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Delhi HC on March 4 granted bail to Christian in the money laundering case relating to the purchase of VVIP choppers from Italian firm AgustaWestland. He was earlier granted bail by the apex court in a corruption case related to the deal. He was extradited from Dubai in 2018. CBI, in its chargesheet, claimed an estimated loss of 398.2 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on Feb 8, 2010, for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
AgustaWestland Case: SC dismisses Christian Michel's Plea on bail condition
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by British national Christian Michel James, the accused middleman in the ₹3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case. Michel had challenged a bail condition that required him to furnish a local residential address. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sanjay Kumar upheld the Delhi High Court's May 22 order, which directed Michel to provide an address for his residence post-release. Michel has been in Tihar Jail since his extradition from the United Arab Emirates in December 2018. The bench expressed disapproval of Michel's refusal to meet this basic requirement, stating, 'You have a permanent address inside Tihar jail. You stay there only. What to do?' The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the money laundering aspect of the case, supported the high court's revised conditions and questioned Michel's reluctance. The bench also asked Michel's legal team why the accused, who had actively pursued legal remedies, could not provide an address through family or other contacts. 'We granted you bail and you don't even want to fulfil a condition of providing a local address,' Justice Nath remarked. When Michel's counsel argued that he had no residence in India after over six years of imprisonment, the court noted that his family was involved in his legal representation and could assist with this requirement. The court dismissed the petition outright, calling it 'all an excuse' and reiterating that the bail condition was neither unreasonable nor impractical. Michel, a British citizen, had been granted bail earlier by the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court in related cases filed by the CBI and ED. Due to his foreign nationality, the high court relaxed some bail conditions, allowing him to submit a personal bond of ₹5 lakh along with a cash surety of ₹10 lakh instead of a local surety. The high court also directed that any new travel documents issued to Michel be deposited directly with the trial court by the British High Commission. The FRRO was instructed to ensure Michel does not leave India. What is the AgustaWestland case? The AgustaWestland case involves allegations of kickbacks in the 2010 deal to procure 12 VVIP helicopters from the Italian firm, leading to an estimated loss of €398.21 million (around ₹2,666 crore) to India. Michel is alleged to have received €30 million (about ₹225 crore) as part of the deal. He is one of three foreign intermediaries named, alongside Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. With the Supreme Court's decision, Michel remains in custody unless he complies with the revised bail conditions.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
AgustaWestland case: SC dismisses British national Christian Michel's plea over bail address requirement
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea filed by British national Christian Michel James , who had challenged the Delhi High Court 's order directing him to furnish details of the address where he intended to reside post-release on bail in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case . James, who is alleged to be a middleman in the case, had challenged the May 22 order of the high court which modified his bail conditions. The plea came up for hearing before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sanjay Kumar. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. 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Grammarly Install Now Undo "We granted you bail and you don't even want to fulfil a condition of providing a local address," the bench told the counsel appearing for James. The lawyer, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), said the high court's order was in favour of James. Live Events "Then what is his problem?" the bench asked. "Which is the condition which is hurting you?" the bench asked the lawyer appearing for James, who referred to certain paragraphs of the high court order. Also Read: DPS Dwarka case: HC pronounces key ruling, orders school to let disenrolled students back in on part payment of hiked fees He said the high court has directed James to furnish the details of his residential address where he intends to reside post-release. The counsel argued the high court has also said that before being released from jail, the said address will be verified by the trial court through the ED. "I (James) have been inside Tihar Jail for last six years and six months. I don't have any local address," the counsel said, adding that James was a British national. He said James cannot fulfil this condition unless he comes out of jail. The bench observed if the petitioner could arrange to pursue his matter in courts, he must have some contacts. "You give that address," Justice Nath said. His counsel said James has an address in the United Kingdom. The bench then asked who was giving instructions to lawyers appearing for James in the matter. When his lawyer said that instructions were given by James' family, the bench observed, "Dismissed". "You have a permanent address inside the Tihar jail. You stay there only. What to do," the bench said. His counsel said that address could be provided post-release from jail and not pre-release. "Why not?" the bench asked, adding if his family can give instructions to the lawyers, they can take up this issue also. When the counsel said assistance has been extended by the British High Commission, the bench said then let the high commission take care of it. "This is all an excuse," the bench said, while refusing to entertain the plea. Also Read: Espionage case arrests: Rajasthan government employee, a suspected spy for Pakistan, in intel net Considering his prolonged incarceration, his status as a foreign national with no roots in India, and his inability to arrange for a local surety, the high court had modified the bail condition imposed earlier. It had said instead of the requirement to furnish a personal bond and surety bond of Rs five lakh each, James shall now furnish a personal bond of Rs five lakh along with a cash surety in the enhanced sum of Rs 10 lakh. Further, the high court had also modified the bail condition to surrender his passport, which had already expired, before the trial court to the extent that he might be released on bail without depositing his passport "immediately". "However, the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) shall ensure that the applicant does not leave the country, and the British High Commission (or the authority concerned issuing the applicant's passport) shall ensure that the applicant's fresh passport, whenever the same is ready, is not handed over to the applicant, but directly deposited with the trial court under intimation to this court," the high court had said. On March 4, the high court had granted bail to James in the ED case while the Supreme Court had granted him reprieve in a related CBI case on February 18. The probe agencies have alleged irregularities in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from Italian manufacturing company AgustaWestland. James was extradited from Dubai in December 2018 and was subsequently arrested by the CBI and the ED. He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case and the other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The CBI, in its chargesheet, claimed an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010, for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros. The ED chargesheet filed against James in June 2016 alleged he received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland.
