AgustaWestland Scam: Christian Michel's Bail Conditions Tweaked by Delhi Court | India News
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A Delhi special court has modified the bail conditions for Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper deal. The court's decision comes after Michel sought release from the CBI case, citing that he had already served the maximum sentence duration. According to the court, Michel has already completed the maximum prison sentence for the money laundering offence, which carries a seven-year punishment. The court had previously released him from judicial custody in a case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). However, Michel's plea was dismissed by the court, which stated that the issue had already been raised before different courts and was pending consideration before the Delhi High Court. The court did modify the bail conditions, reducing the requirement for a surety bond and allowing Michel to be released without depositing his passport immediately. The Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) will ensure that Michel does not leave the country, and the British High Commission will submit his renewed passport directly to the court. The CBI had alleged that senior officials in the PMO, SPG, and Air Force agreed to tweak the mandatory service ceiling of helicopters to favour AgustaWestland, causing a loss of €398.21 million (approximately ₹2,666 crore) to the government. Michel was extradited from the UAE in December 2018 and had been granted bail in the ED's money laundering probe and the CBI's corruption case. The Delhi high court had earlier modified Michel's bail conditions, replacing a surety bond with a personal bond and reducing the cash surety amount. The court had also directed the FRRO to ensure Michel does not leave the country and instructed the British High Commission to submit his renewed passport directly to the trial court. Michel had expressed concerns about his safety outside jail and had described Delhi as a 'larger prison' due to his family's inability to visit him.
