NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought clarification from the ED regarding opposition to the bail plea of Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the Agusta Westland VVIP chopper scam.
Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma raised the query after Michel’s lawyer, Aljo K Joseph, cited the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, which granted his client bail due to delays in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) corruption trial.
As the ED sought more time for arguments, the High Court scheduled the next hearing for Tuesday. Michel, a British national, was extradited to India on December 4, 2018, in connection with the `3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal.
The Supreme Court, while granting him bail on February 18, remarked that the trial’s sluggish pace might mean completion could take another 25 years.
The case, originally registered in 2013, involves allegations of bribery in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters.