Supreme Court Grants Bail to Christian Michel in ₹3,600 Crore AgustaWestland Scam

New Delhi, February 18: The Supreme Court of India today granted bail to alleged middleman Christian Michel James in the ₹3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam. The decision was made by a bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, who noted that Michel had been in custody for the past six years while the case remained pending.

The AgustaWestland scam, which came to light in 2013, involved the alleged payment of bribes to secure a contract for the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters for the Indian Air Force. The deal, signed in 2010 under the UPA-II government, was meant to procure helicopters for transporting top Indian dignitaries, including the President and Prime Minister.

In 2014, the deal was canceled by the Indian government after allegations of corruption surfaced. The investigation revealed that middlemen, including Christian Michel, Guido Haschke, and Carlo Gerosa, were allegedly involved in facilitating bribes to Indian officials and politicians.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have alleged that:

• Christian Michel, a British national, acted as a middleman between AgustaWestland and Indian officials, receiving kickbacks to influence the deal.
• Former IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi was allegedly involved in tweaking technical specifications to favor AgustaWestland.
• Several Indian politicians and bureaucrats were reportedly linked to the scandal.

Michel was extradited from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India in December 2018 and has been in judicial custody since then. The Supreme Court’s decision to grant him bail comes after years of legal battles.

While Michel has been granted bail, the case is still under investigation, and proceedings against other accused individuals continue. The verdict is expected to have political repercussions, as opposition parties may use it to target the ruling government over the handling of corruption cases.

Stay tuned for further updates.

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