AgustaWestland case: CBI files supplementary chargesheet against Christian Michel, Rajeev Saxena

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed a supplementary chargesheet against British national Christian Michel James, businessman Rajeev Saxena and 13 others accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam case.

The chargesheet was filed before Special Judge Arvind Kumar in Delhi`s Rouse Avenue court, who listed the matter for consideration on September 21.

According to sources, former defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma, who later became Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), has not been named as an accused in the chargesheet as CBI has not received sanction to prosecute Sharma till date.

Sources said that Sharma will be named in another chargesheet, which will be filed after the CBI receives the sanction to prosecute him.

Michel, the alleged middleman and accused in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case, was extradited from the UAE in December 2018.

He is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with alleged irregularities in the multi-crore chopper deal. 

While the CBI is probing his alleged role as a `middleman` in the deal, the ED is investigating money laundering charges against him.

Rajeev Saxena, a Dubai-based businessman, was also extradited from the UAE in January last year.

The AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal was finalised during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime under the leadership of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but got mired in the allegations of kickbacks.