Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper deal case, on Thursday urged the Delhi High Court to release him on bail, saying he has already spent three years in judicial custody and even if he is found guilty, he can only be given maximum imprisonment of five years. James, who was extradited to India in late 2018, told Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri that from 2003 to 2010, when the alleged offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act are stated to have been committed, the maximum punishment was a five-year term and the amendment, which enhanced the punishment (to seven years), was introduced only in 2014.
