Supreme Court agreed to examine a plea for regular bail filed by Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland helicopter scam, on February 18.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
The Supreme Court on Monday (January 20, 2025) agreed to examine a plea for regular bail filed by Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland helicopter scam, on February 18.
Appearing before a Bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath, advocates Aljo Joseph, Sriram Parakkat and M.S. Vishnu Shankar said their client has been in custody as an undertrial without bail for almost the period he would have served had he been found guilty under the law and sentenced to imprisonment.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said the investigation was complete. The court gave the Central agency three weeks, and no more, to file its counter affidavit.
In 2023, the apex court had noted that besides several offences, including cheating, dishonestly inducing delivery of property, criminal conspiracy, and corruption, Michel was also alleged to have committed the offence of forging valuable security.
Michel was arrested and extradited on December 4, 2018. The FIR itself dates back to 2013 and the investigation has continued for nine years. The incidents of the alleged scam relate to 2004.
The ₹3,600-crore alleged scam relates to the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland.
Michel was said to be a resident of the United Kingdom and was extradited from Dubai.
The CBI, in its charge-sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about ₹2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros.
The Directorate of Enforcement, in its charge-sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about ₹225 crore) from AgustaWestland.
Published – January 20, 2025 05:19 pm IST
