AgustaWestland Scam: Delhi High Court Reserves Order On Christian Michel's Plea To Modify Bail Conditions In ED Case

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved order on a plea filed by British Arms Counsultant Christian James Michel seeking modification of bail conditions in the FIR registered by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Agusta Westland chopper scam. 

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma reserved the order after hearing the counsels appearing for Michel and ED and said that a detailed order will be passed in the matter.

Michel joined the proceedings through video conferencing. He is presently lodged in Tihar jail.

Michel has sought that the bail condition asking him to furnish a surety of Rs. 5 lakh be relaxed. He has also prayed that the condition asking him to surrender his passport be revoked.

It is his case that his old passport has expired and the process of obtaining a new passport is likely to take at least four to eight weeks.

During the hearing today, Michel's counsel submitted that since he was a foreign national, no individual from India will come forward to stand as a surety for him.

The counsel further submitted that Michel cannot be made to languish in jail even after being granted bail till his passport gets renewed.

The plea was opposed by ED's counsel on the ground that the bail conditions were just and reasonable. It was submitted that there was no way to ensure Michel's presence in India if he furnished no local surety.

Michel was granted bail by Justice Sharma on March 04. On February 18, the Supreme Court had granted bail to Michel in the case registered by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) related to the alleged scam.

Justice Sharma granted bail to Michel in the money laundering case considering the period of incarceration of about six years and two months undergone by him, and in view of the fact that he has also been granted bail in the CBI case by the Supreme Court on the ground that the investigation has not been completed and the trial has not even begun.

Michel was earlier denied bail in the CBI and ED cases in relation to the alleged scam by a coordinate bench in 2022. He was arrested in December 2018 after being extradited from Dubai. He is termed as a 'Middleman' for the alleged illegal transactions that took place in the VVIP chopper scam.

The CBI had alleged that there was an estimated loss of Euro 398.21 million (about 2666 Crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth Euro 556.262 million.

ED had then filed a chargesheet against Michel in June, 2016, alleging that he had received EUR 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland.

Case Title: Christian Michel James v. ED