The case ties into a controversial helicopter purchase involving allegations of corruption connected to India's former ruling party.
**Indian Court Grants Bail to British Arms Consultant After Six Years in Custody**
**Indian Court Grants Bail to British Arms Consultant After Six Years in Custody**
A Delhi High Court ruling allows Christian Michel, detained since 2018, to be released on bail amid ongoing investigations.
The Delhi High Court has ordered the release on bail of British arms consultant Christian Michel, who has been held in India for six years without trial related to a high-profile corruption case. Michel faces allegations of bribing Indian officials associated with a multimillion-dollar helicopter deal for the British-Italian defence firm AgustaWestland, a claim he denies.
Extradited from the United Arab Emirates in 2018, Michel's prolonged incarceration has raised concerns, described by the court as an "exceptional" circumstance given that his pre-trial detention nearly approached the maximum penalty for his charges, which include money laundering.
The origins of the controversy trace back to a 2010 agreement in which the Indian government procured 12 AW-101 helicopters intended for high-level governmental use. Subsequent scrutiny revealed potential irregularities, with federal auditors suggesting the government may have drastically overpaid for the $753 million contract, ultimately terminated in 2014.
Michel's legal team asserts that no substantial evidence links him directly to the alleged wrongdoing, despite ongoing investigations by India's financial crime agencies, which remain unresolved. Following the court's decision to grant bail in one of the cases, Michel is now free from Tihar prison, albeit unable to leave India due to the seizure of his passport.
The AgustaWestland deal has been embroiled in several corruption allegations involving key Indian officials, some of whom have faced legal repercussions. Italian prosecutors have previously exonerated former AgustaWestland executives Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini, a verdict that Indian officials maintain does not affect the jurisdiction of the ongoing case against Michel in India.
This development highlights the complexities of international legal proceedings and the scrutiny of governmental deals marred by allegations of corruption that continue to resonate within India's political landscape.
Extradited from the United Arab Emirates in 2018, Michel's prolonged incarceration has raised concerns, described by the court as an "exceptional" circumstance given that his pre-trial detention nearly approached the maximum penalty for his charges, which include money laundering.
The origins of the controversy trace back to a 2010 agreement in which the Indian government procured 12 AW-101 helicopters intended for high-level governmental use. Subsequent scrutiny revealed potential irregularities, with federal auditors suggesting the government may have drastically overpaid for the $753 million contract, ultimately terminated in 2014.
Michel's legal team asserts that no substantial evidence links him directly to the alleged wrongdoing, despite ongoing investigations by India's financial crime agencies, which remain unresolved. Following the court's decision to grant bail in one of the cases, Michel is now free from Tihar prison, albeit unable to leave India due to the seizure of his passport.
The AgustaWestland deal has been embroiled in several corruption allegations involving key Indian officials, some of whom have faced legal repercussions. Italian prosecutors have previously exonerated former AgustaWestland executives Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini, a verdict that Indian officials maintain does not affect the jurisdiction of the ongoing case against Michel in India.
This development highlights the complexities of international legal proceedings and the scrutiny of governmental deals marred by allegations of corruption that continue to resonate within India's political landscape.
