The Supreme Court of India has referred the plea of Christian Michel James, a British national and alleged middleman in the ₹3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, to another bench for further consideration. James, who was extradited from Dubai in December 2018, is contesting his continued detention, arguing that he has already served the maximum possible sentence for the offences related to his extradition. The Delhi High Court had previously dismissed his petition, stating there was no merit in his claims. James is challenging Article 17 of the India-UAE extradition treaty, which allows for prosecution for connected offences beyond those specifically listed in the extradition request. He claims that after serving seven years in jail by December 2025, his detention has become illegal. The high court had ruled that his prosecution falls within the treaty's scope, and he remains in custody due to his inability to meet bail conditions set by the trial court and high court. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleges significant financial losses due to the chopper deal, which was signed on February 8, 2010.