Michael Flynn, the former national security advisor of US President Donald Trump, moved the court seeking to withdrew his guilty plea on charges of lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) before he was to be sentenced in just two weeks.
Flynn's lawyers filed a motion with the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Tuesday night, a week after the federal prosecutors recommended a six-month prison sentence to Flynn. They had accused the Justice Department of violating its plea agreement with Flynn, The Hill reported.
"The prosecution seeks to rewrite history and send Flynn to prison," the filing said.
"Flynn will not plead guilty. Furthermore, he will not accede to the government's demand that he 'disavow' any statements made in his filings since he obtained new, unconflicted counsel," his lawyers wrote.
"Michael T. Flynn is innocent. He has cooperated with the government in good faith for two years. He gave the prosecution his full cooperation," the filing further said.
Flynn had pleaded guility in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia's ambassador to the US.
Meanwhile, Flynn's lawyers have asked the court to delay his sentencing set to be held on January 28. Prosecutors said in a brief filing that they will not oppose that request, according to the US media reports.
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 )