A Delhi court on Tuesday permitted Christian Michel James, one of the alleged middlemen in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, to apply for a passport from prison. Michel, a British national, had refused to accept bail granted by the Delhi High Court in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), citing security concerns.
Court Permits Passport Application
During the hearing at Rouse Avenue Court, Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal asked Michel if he intended to furnish bail bonds and secure his release. In response, Michel reiterated his reluctance to step out of prison due to security fears.
Following this, the court directed Tihar Jail authorities to facilitate his online passport application. His counsel, Aljo K. Joseph, has been granted permission to assist him inside Jail No. 4, Tihar, on March 13, 2024, from 11:00 AM onwards, until the application formalities are completed.
Michel’s Legal Battle and Bail Status
Michel has been embroiled in a high-profile legal battle since his extradition from the UAE in 2018. The Delhi High Court had granted him bail last Tuesday in the ED’s money laundering case, while the Supreme Court had granted him bail a fortnight ago in the corruption case registered by the CBI in 2013.
Despite spending over six years in custody, Michel has opted to remain in Tihar Jail, citing safety concerns. Notably, the maximum sentence for his alleged offenses is seven years.
AgustaWestland Scam: A Multi-Billion Rupee Controversy
The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, valued at ₹3,726.96 crore, was signed on February 8, 2010, between the Indian Ministry of Defence and UK-based AgustaWestland International Ltd for the procurement of 12 helicopters.
The CBI’s investigation alleges that Michel, acting as a middleman, facilitated the payment of large bribes to senior officials in the Indian Air Force, Defence Ministry, bureaucrats, and politicians. The agency claims that these payments resulted in undue favors being extended to AgustaWestland in exchange for the contract.
Alongside his passport request, Michel has also sought 10 days to inspect case documents, a request that the court has granted. The CBI lawyer Manu Mishra, who was present during the hearing, confirmed the dates for document inspection.
As the legal proceedings unfold, Michel’s decision to remain in jail despite being granted bail, and his pursuit of a new British passport, continue to raise questions about his next legal and diplomatic moves in the long-standing AgustaWestland chopper scam.
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