The Delhi High Court has ordered the release on bail of Christian James Michel, a British arms consultant, who has been detained in India for six years without a trial.
Michel is central to a high-profile corruption case alleging he facilitated bribes to Indian officials to secure a lucrative helicopter contract for AgustaWestland, a British-Italian defense firm. He maintains his innocence.
Extradited from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2018, Michel’s prolonged detention was deemed “exceptional” by the court. The case revolves around a 2010 agreement where India sought to purchase 12 helicopters from AgustaWestland.
The $753 million deal was eventually terminated in 2014 following allegations of inflated costs and illicit payments, as highlighted by India’s federal auditor.
Michel is accused of receiving approximately €42 million for his role in securing the contract. His legal team contends that there is a lack of concrete evidence linking him to the alleged offenses.
Despite ongoing investigations by India’s financial crime and domestic crime agencies, no trial has commenced, leading to Michel’s extended pre-trial imprisonment.
The Delhi High Court emphasized that Michel’s six-year detention was nearing the maximum seven-year sentence for money laundering, one of the charges he faces.
The court’s decision to grant bail follows a similar ruling by the Supreme Court in another related case on February 18th.
While Michel is now permitted to leave Tihar jail in Delhi, he remains within India as his passport has been confiscated. The 2010 helicopter deal involved the purchase of AW-101 helicopters for use by Indian VIPs, including the president and prime minister.
Only three helicopters were delivered before the contract was canceled.
Italian prosecutors had previously investigated alleged kickbacks of nearly $67.6 million to Indian officials. Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini, former executives of AgustaWestland’s parent company, were acquitted of fraud and corruption charges in Italy in 2018.
Indian officials have stated that these acquittals do not impact the ongoing case in India.
The former Indian Air Force chief, implicated in bribery, was arrested in 2016 and later released on bail.
