AgustaWestland Scam: Delhi Court Dismisses Middleman Christian Michel's Bail Pleas In CBI, ED Cases

A Delhi court on Saturday dismissed the bail applications of alleged middleman Christian Michel who was arrested in connection with the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper scam.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar rejected Michel's bail pleas in cases filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying there was no sufficient ground to grant the relief.

Michel has cited the orders from an Italian court as one of the grounds in his applications seeking bail in both the cases filed by the ED and the CBI.

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In his plea, Michel said the investigation regarding him was over and no useful purpose would be served by keeping him in further custody. He said he would be available to join the probe as and when required.

Michel, extradited from Dubai, was arrested by the ED on December 22 last year. On January 5 this year, he was sent to judicial custody in the ED case. He is also lodged in judicial custody in another case registered by the CBI in connection with the scam.

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Michel, a British national, is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the ED and the CBI. The other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

The agencies had told the court that Michel made 24.25 million euros and 1,60,96,245 pounds from the now scrapped AgustaWestland deal. The CBI has alleged that the deal signed in February 2010 to supply VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros caused an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the state exchequer.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Court rejects Michel's bail plea in both ED, CBI cases.
• Michel was arrested by the ED on December 22, 2018.
• He is lodged in judicial custody in another case registered by CBI.