The Delhi High Court has issued notices to the Centre, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a petition filed by Christian Michel James, a British national extradited in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case. The plea challenges Article 17 of the India-UAE extradition treaty, which permits prosecution for connected offences beyond those cited in the extradition request.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain directed the respondents to file their objections regarding the maintainability of the petition. The matter has been listed for hearing on April 9, 2026.
Michel, extradited from Dubai in December 2018, contends that the provision violates the principle of specialty in extradition law, which restricts prosecution to the specific offences for which extradition was granted. He has also challenged a trial court order dated August 7, 2025, rejecting his application under Section 436A of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking release on the ground of prolonged custody.
The AgustaWestland case involves alleged corruption in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters for the Indian Air Force, with Michel accused of acting as a middleman to facilitate bribes to officials and politicians. His extradition was considered a significant breakthrough in the investigation, but his legal team now argues that India is exceeding the treaty’s scope.
