New Delhi, April 24 (PTI) Rubbishing allegations of Agustawestland case accused Christian Michel James, who claimed being lodged with a prisoner with a checkered record inside jail, Tihar authorities on Thursday said he was never kept with another person in a single cell.

Special judge Sanjeev Aggarwal heard the submission of the authorities which claimed that James and Sehnawaz, the accused who was allegedly given 41 punishments for flouting jail rules from time to time, were “never lodged together in a single cell.” The authorities said, “Prisoners are lodged in barracks or cells as per the security assessment and availability of space. Nothing adverse has been reported by accused James during his lodgment in jail 1 or in jail 4 where he is presently lodged.” Tihar further said an inquiry was conducted based on British national James’ allegations, mentioned in an e-mail sent to the prison authorities by the British High Commission in August 2019.

James was purportedly informed that certain ISIS figures in Tihar, particularly a “Muslim prisoner” in his ward, was tasked to kill him.

“A detailed inquiry was undertaken pursuant to the said e-mail… in which it was concluded that there was no life threat to James from any of the inmates in Tihar Jail 1 and that he had never even perceived such a threat,” the jail authorities said.

The court subsequently directed the authorities to share the report’s copy with James’ lawyer.

The judge then posted the hearing on May 22.

On April 16, the court pulled up the authorities, asking it to explain why an “appropriate action” should not be taken against authorities for not providing a table fan to james despite its order, and said even in zoological parks, exotic animals were provided air conditioning.

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.

James, however, on March 7 offered to “finish his sentence” and leave India instead of walking out on bail owing to “security risks”.

On April 3, James in court claimed “attempts made to poison him” inside the prison.

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 are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

The CBI, in its chargesheet, 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 chargesheet filed against James in June 2016 alleged he received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. PTI UK UK AMK AMK