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£12.00After spending six years in detention without trial, the Delhi High Court has ruled that Christian James Michel, a British arms consultant accused of bribing Indian officials to secure a helicopter contract for AgustaWestland, must be released on bail. Michel, who denies the allegations against him, was extradited to India from the United Arab Emirates in 2018 and has been in custody since then. The court described his situation as “exceptional.”
The corruption scandal involving AgustaWestland and the Indian government dates back to 2010 when a deal was signed for the purchase of 12 helicopters. The deal was later scrapped in 2014 amidst allegations of overpayment. According to court documents, Michel is accused of receiving millions of euros for his role in securing the contract. His lawyer argues that there is no concrete evidence linking him to the alleged offense.
Despite ongoing investigations by India’s financial crime fighting agency and domestic crime bureau, trials have yet to commence, leading to Michel’s prolonged incarceration. The Delhi High Court’s decision to grant him bail comes after the Supreme Court made a similar ruling on another case on February 18. While Michel is now free to leave Tihar jail in Delhi, his passport has been confiscated, preventing him from leaving India.
The deal for the AW-101 helicopters, intended for use by the Indian air force’s elite squadron, saw only three aircraft delivered before it was canceled. Italian prosecutors suspected kickbacks worth millions of dollars were paid to Indian officials to secure the contract. Despite acquittals in Italy for former AgustaWestland executives, Indian officials maintain that the case in India remains unaffected. The scandal also led to the arrest of India’s former air force chief on bribery charges in 2016, before he was later released on bail
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