US Justice Dept drops case against ex-NSA Michael Flynn

The US Justice Department is dropping its criminal case against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents about his connection with a Russian diplomat, The Hill reported

The moves by the department come more than two years after Flynn's guilty plea. He pleaded guilty in 2017 just weeks before President Donald Trump's inauguration.

In January this year, Flynn had moved the court seeking to withdraw his guilty plea on charges of lying to the FBI before he was to be sentenced in just two weeks.

Flynn's case grew out of an investigation by law enforcement officials who had reason to suspect that he constituted a national security threat.

A plea agreement was reached between Flynn and special counsel Robert Mueller's office two years back Flynn has also vowed to cooperate in the probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential polls.

In December 2018, prosecutors had initially batted for leniency for Flynn, citing his cooperation and his military record.

( With inputs from ANI )