Court Allows Christian Michel To Renew Passport In AgustaWestland Scam Case

The Rouse Avenue Court has directed the Tihar Jail administration to allow Christian Michel, a British citizen and alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland scam, to apply for passport renewal. This order aims to fulfill the bail conditions set by the court.

During the last hearing, Michel told the court that he does not want to come out on bail. He said he prefers to complete his sentence because he feels unsafe in Delhi. Michel claimed that every time he steps out of Tihar Jail, he faces trouble from the police. He requested a private conversation with Special Judge Sanjeev Agarwal, where he discussed his security concerns.

Recently, the Delhi High Court granted Michel bail in the money laundering case but asked the lower court to decide the bail terms. Zoheb Hussain, representing the ED, opposed the bail plea. He argued that the Supreme Court had granted bail only in the CBI case, not in the ED case.

Michel’s lawyer, Aljo Joseph, said Michel’s passport had expired. He stated that Michel would need to renew his passport and apply for a visa if the court set bail terms. Michel argued that after completing his sentence, it would not matter whether he stayed or left India.

Long Legal Battle In AgustaWestland Scam

The Supreme Court granted bail to Michel, noting that the trial could take over 25 years to conclude. Michel was arrested on December 4, 2018, while the FIR was registered in 2013. The case involves 60 accused, with 21 yet to cooperate with the investigation.

The prosecution filed its first complaint on November 24, 2014. The 12th supplementary charge sheet was filed on November 21, 2024. Michel remains under investigation as the legal process continues.

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