Passport Approval for AgustaWestland Middleman Sparks Judicial Decision

A Delhi court has granted Christian Michel James, implicated in the AgustaWestland case, permission to apply for a new British passport. The decision follows a bail condition that required him to have a valid passport. The court also allowed him access to certain documents and digital records pertinent to his case.

In a significant development in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal case, a Delhi court on Tuesday allowed Christian Michel James to apply for a new British passport after his current one expired. The court's decision aligns with a previous bail condition that necessitated the possession of a valid passport.

Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal ordered the jail superintendent to facilitate Michel's online passport application process. The court staff was instructed to provide him with a copy of his expired passport to support the new application. Additionally, the court granted James the right to review unrelied documents filed by the CBI, marking a pivotal access to data.

This case, involving an alleged loss of 398.21 million euros to the Indian exchequer, has seen Michel extradited from Dubai and arrested by both the CBI and ED. He is one of the three accused middlemen, including Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, undergoing investigation. New examination dates have been set for the digital records related to the case.