Court Orders Release of Christian Michel in AgustaWestland Money Laundering Case

Christian James Michel, accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, was ordered to be released by a Delhi court in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate. However, he remains in custody due to a separate CBI corruption case. The court emphasized release by December 2025.

A Delhi court has ordered the release of Christian James Michel from custody in connection with a money laundering case linked to the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed this case.

Despite this order, Michel will remain in jail since he faces charges in a separate corruption case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He has already been in custody for seven years. The court referenced the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, noting that offenders are typically jailed for up to seven years.

The court highlighted the second proviso to Section 436A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which mandates the release of undertrial prisoners after a specific duration. Michel, extradited from Dubai in 2018, has been awaiting trial since. The case involves irregularities in a deal for VVIP helicopters from the British-Italian company, AgustaWestland.

(With inputs from agencies.)