AgustaWestland case Delhi court seeks Tihar enquiry file on Michel James's security issue

New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) A Delhi court on Thursday sought the inquiry file from Tihar Jail officials on the security of jailed middleman Christian Michel James in the AgustaWestland case.
    Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal directed the Senior Law Officer, Prison Headquarters, New Delhi, to produce the file by June 6, the next date of hearing.
    The judge was hearing James's application asking for a re-look at the findings of an inquiry report dated August 29, 2019 over the security arrangements for him in jail.
    During the hearing, the jail officials filed their report sought by the court earlier on the issue, claiming that the application has been filed by James after a gap of almost six years.
    "Therefore, the application filed by the accused is based on surmises and conjectures. Further the accused has no threat to his life, while being lodged at present at jail no. 4, Tihar, and he is under safe and secure custody," a jail official told the court.
    The accused then submitted that the inquiry report was "totally different and contrary" to the statements of the different witnesses recorded during the said inquiry proceedings and prayed that the inquiry file concerned be summoned for better clarity in the matter.
    The judge said the matter was of serious concern, while noting James's claim that there was an attempt on his life by an co-inmate, who was a desperate criminal, thereby putting his life to peril.
    James further stated that it was a pre-planned conspiracy to eliminate him in the jail by his enemies related to this case by poisoning him.
    "Therefore, in these circumstances, it will be expedient in the interest of justice that the said inquiry file on the basis of which the inquiry report dated August 29, 2019 was given, be called from the Senior Law Officer, Prison Head Quarters, New Delhi, through DG (Prison), as it is stated by the Superintendent Jail, who is present above that the said file may be lying with them," the judge said.
    He then posted the application for further consideration on June 6.
    The jail authorities earlier refuted James' allegations of being kept with a "desperate accused" inside the prison, who had 41 complaints against him for his conduct in jail.
    The Supreme Court on February 18 granted bail to James in the CBI case subject to the trial court's conditions and the Delhi High Court on March 4 gave him the relief in the ED case and said necessary bail riders be imposed on him.
    British national James, however, on March 7 offered to "finish his sentence" and leave India instead of walking out on bail owing to "security risks".
    James was extradited on December 4, 2018 from Dubai, where he spent four months in custody.
    Probe agencies had reported irregularities in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from Italian manufacturing company AgustaWestland.
    He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case and the other two being Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.
    The CBI, in its charge sheet, alleged 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 charge sheet filed against James in June 2016 alleged he received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)