AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper Case: SC Rejects Plea Of Christian Michel

AgustaWestland

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to alter bail conditions imposed on British national Christian Michel, accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal money laundering case.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sanjay Kumar dismissed Michel’s challenge to requirements set by the Delhi High Court.

Bail Terms Remain Intact

In March 2025, the Delhi High Court modified Michel’s bail in the Enforcement Directorate’s PMLA case, permitting a delay in his passport submission. However, it insisted on two strict conditions:

Passport Handling: The British High Commission must forward Michel’s renewed passport directly to the trial court once issued.

Local Residence Declaration: Michel must provide the address where he will reside after release, subject to verification by the trial court.

These stipulations ensure that Michel remains within judicial reach and complies with procedural safeguards.

Challenge Rebuffed

Michel’s plea to the Supreme Court argued that he lacked a “local address” until freed and that the High Court had overstepped by directing a foreign mission. The bench, however, was firm. When his counsel objected to the address requirement, the judges retorted:

“You have a permanent address inside the Tihar jail; stay there only. Finished. What to do? You have been granted bail. You don’t even want to fulfil a condition of providing a local address.”

This response underscored the non-negotiable nature of bail conditions, regardless of nationality.

Case Overview

Arrested in 2018, Christian Michel is alleged to be the key intermediary in the ₹3,600-crore AgustaWestland helicopter procurement scandal. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) asserts that the February 8, 2010 agreement for 12 VVIP helicopters—valued at €556.262 million—caused an estimated loss of €398.21 million (around ₹2,666 crore) to the Indian exchequer. The Enforcement Directorate later charged Michel under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, alleging he received €30 million (approximately ₹225 crore) from AgustaWestland.

Michel was extradited from Dubai after India won a legal battle, and his custody terms have been under judicial scrutiny ever since.

Broader Implications

By upholding these conditions, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that courts may impose logistical requirements—such as address disclosure and passport surrender—to safeguard the judicial process. The decision sends a clear message: compliance with bail terms is mandatory, and diplomatic status does not grant exemptions.

Moving forward, Michel must satisfy the Delhi High Court’s conditions to secure his release. His case remains a high-profile example of the judiciary’s insistence on strict adherence to bail protocols in complex, cross-border financial crime investigations.