Institute of Legal and Management Studies

The Supreme Court today dismissed a plea filed by British national Christian Michel challenging a bail condition imposed by the Delhi High Court in a money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam.

A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sanjay Kumar rejected Michel's objection to the High Court's direction that requires him to provide the address where he intends to reside after his release.

The Court dismissed the plea, with Justice Nath remarking, “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.”

Michel had challenged the Delhi High Court's March 2025 order, which modified his bail conditions in the money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The High Court had allowed Michel to furnish a personal bond of Rs. 5 lakh and a cash surety of Rs. 10 lakh in place of earlier directions for a personal and surety bond of Rs. 5 lakh each.

It also allowed Michel to be released without submitting his passport immediately, as his earlier passport had expired. However, the High Court directed that the British High Commission must deposit his new passport directly with the trial court when issued.

The High Court further directed that Michel should furnish the address where he intends to reside post-release. This address would be verified by the trial court before his release. This condition were challenged by Michel in the present petition.

During the hearing today, Michel's counsel submitted that he did not have a local address and could not fulfil this condition unless released from custody. He further stated that he had no passport and that his wife had divorced him. He also submitted that the High Court does not have the power to issue directions to the British High Commission, a foreign authority.

Justice Vikram Nath remarked, “If you can arrange to appear, you can pursue your matter. There must be some contact you have. Give that address.”

When the counsel replied that the address was in the UK, Justice Nath asked, “Somebody must be giving instructions to you (Michel's lawyer), who is?” The counsel responded that it was the family.

The counsel submitted that Michel could provide the address post-release but not beforehand. Justice Kumar remarked, “If they can give you instructions, they can take him in.”

The counsel replied that the British High Commission had made such arrangements. Justice Nath observed, “Let the British High Commission take care of him. This is all an excuse.”

Christian Michel, who is accused of being a middleman for the alleged illegal transactions that took place in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal, was arrested by the ED after being extradited from Dubai to India in December 2018.

The CBI has alleged that there was an estimated loss of Euro 398.21 million (about 2666 Crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth Euro 556.262 million. ED then filed a chargesheet against Michel in June, 2016, alleging that he had received EUR 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland.

He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the CBI case related to the scam on February 18, 2025, and later granted bail by the Delhi High Court in the ED case on March 4, 2025. However, he has remained in jail due to non-fulfilment of bail conditions.

Advocates Aljo Joseph, Sriram Parakkat and MS Vishnu Shankar appeared for Christian Michel.

Case no. – SLP(Crl) No. 8510/2025

Case Title – Christian James Michel v. Directorate of Enforcement