New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to extradite alleged middleman Christian Michel James, an accused in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, sources said on Friday.
"CBI has decided to send a request for extradition of James to central authorities in the UAE," an informed source told IANS.
James reportedly received around Rs 225 crore from AgustaWestland in kickbacks paid by the firm to execute the deal for 12 helicopters in its favour in the "guise of" transactions for performing multiple work contracts in the country.
An amount of Rs 6.33 crore was routed to India through James' shell company Media Exim from his Dubai-based company Global Services FZE.
James and two other middlemen, Guido Ralph Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, have been named as the accused in separate investigations conducted by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Both the agencies have also issued an Interpol Red Corner Notice (RCN) against James, after a city court issued a non-bailable warrant against him.
An Italian court has revealed that James, a resident of London, was working as a consultant in India for AgustaWestland's AWA101 helicopter deal.
Investigators said James is currently staying in Dubai from where he has been running his companies.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - IANS)