India, Nov. 24 -- The Delhi high court on Monday issued a notice in a petition filed by Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the AugustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, against a trial court's order rejecting his request for release from prison.

A bench of justices Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain sought the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Union home ministry's response on the merits and maintainability of the petition. It fixed December 9 as the next date of hearing.

Michel approached the high court against the trial court's August 7 order, denying his request to be released, as he had completed the maximum seven-year sentence in the case.

The trial court in its order noted that he has bee...