Delhi court orders release of Christian Michel arrested in VVIP chopper case

A special court in Delhi on Saturday ordered the release of Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, from custody in a money laundering matter registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) granted Michel relief after recording his undertaking that he would continue to cooperate with the trial if released. However, the order does not immediately clear his exit from prison, as a similar plea remains pending before a special court hearing the case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Reacting to the development, Michel told reporters that the decision reaffirmed his faith in the judicial system. “Law has prevailed. India’s Constitution is excellent, and I hope it continues to be upheld,” he said, adding that he was hopeful procedural formalities would be completed soon, particularly in view of his expired passport.

The court accepted submissions made on Michel’s behalf that he had already spent nearly seven years in custody during the course of the trial — a period equivalent to the maximum punishment he could face if convicted of the alleged offences.

Michel is a key accused in the Rs 3,600-crore VVIP helicopter deal involving the purchase of 12 helicopters from Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland. Investigators have alleged that the contract involved kickbacks of about Rs 250 crore paid to middlemen and other entities.

He was extradited to India from the United Arab Emirates on December 5, 2018, and was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation upon arrival. Days later, he was also taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate. Since then, he has been lodged in judicial custody at Tihar Jail.

In its chargesheet filed in June 2016, the ED alleged that Michel received around 30 million euros — roughly Rs 225 crore — from AgustaWestland. The CBI, meanwhile, has claimed that the deal caused an estimated loss of over 398 million euros to the Indian exchequer. The contract, signed in February 2010, was valued at more than 556 million euros.

The alleged scam also triggered legal proceedings in Italy, where aspects of the international corruption case were examined by a court in Milan.

Although Michel has previously secured bail from the Delhi High Court in the ED case and from the Supreme Court in the CBI matter, he remained in custody due to procedural hurdles, including the expiry of his passport and difficulties in arranging sureties.

Michel is one of three alleged middlemen under investigation in the VVIP chopper case. The other two accused are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

With IANS inputs