ED Challenges Christian Michel’s Bail Application in VVIP Chopper Scandal at Delhi HC
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New Delhi, Dec 10 (NationPress) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday informed the Delhi High Court that Christian Michel James, an alleged intermediary in the AgustaWestland helicopter scam, is considered a flight risk and his extradition was accomplished with significant challenges as it contested his bail application.
During the proceedings before a bench led by Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, the ED's representative argued that if Michel were granted bail, he could potentially flee to evade the ongoing investigation.
Michel is implicated in the Rs 3,600-crore alleged fraud concerning the acquisition of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland. He has claimed that he should be granted bail on the basis of delays in initiating trial proceedings.
His bail application argued that he has already spent six years in detention, while he could face a maximum sentence of seven years under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The hearing for the bail petition is scheduled to resume in January 2025.
Michel, a British national, was extradited to India on December 5, 2018, from the UAE. Upon his arrival, he was apprehended by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and subsequently detained by the ED. Since that time, he has been held in judicial custody at Tihar Jail. Multiple courts have previously denied his bail applications.
The contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) was canceled on January 1, 2014, due to an alleged violation of contractual commitments and accusations of kickbacks totaling Rs 423 crore.
In 2020, the CBI submitted a supplementary charge sheet against 15 individuals, including Michel and the accused-turned-approver Rajiv Saxena, related to the alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.
Previously, the CBI had filed an initial charge sheet in this case on September 1, 2017, naming then-IAF chief S.P. Tyagi and 11 others as accused.
