Supreme Court Grants Bail to Christian Michel in AgustaWestland Case

The Supreme Court has granted bail to British citizen Christian Michel in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam. He has been in custody since 2018. The trial court will determine bail conditions, while his bail plea related to the Enforcement Directorate case remains pending.

The Supreme Court has granted bail to Christian Michel, a British national accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, in a decision announced on Tuesday. The bench, composed of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, stated that the trial court would outline the specific conditions of Michel's bail.

Currently undergoing treatment at AIIMS for hip replacement surgery, Michel must renew his passport, which he is subsequently required to surrender. The court highlighted that Michel has been in custody since his extradition in 2018, amounting to over six years, and determined that bail was appropriate under conditions to be set by the trial court.

Despite objections from the Central Bureau of Investigation's counsel, the judges referenced the protracted nature of the trial process. Michel’s lawyer, Aljo K Joseph, emphasized his client's lengthy imprisonment. Meanwhile, Michel's request for bail in a related case by the Enforcement Directorate is still under consideration by the High Court.

Michel, extradited from Dubai in 2018, is alleged to be the intermediary in a money laundering case tied to the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland helicopter contract. His Supreme Court appeal followed a September 25, 2024, denial of bail by the Delhi High Court.