AgustaWestland chopper scam: SC agrees to hear regular bail plea of Christian Michel in January

Supreme Court to examine bail plea of AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel James in ₹3,600-crore chopper scam.

The Supreme Court on Friday (December 6, 2024) agreed to examine a plea for regular bail filed by Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper scam.

A Bench of Vikram Nath and P.B. Varale issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation returnable in four weeks.

The court had refused Michel relief in February last year, advising him to approach the trial court for regular bail.

On Friday, Justice Nath asked Michel’s counsel, advocate Aljo Joseph, how the Bench could give any relief to his client when his earlier pleas had been denied.

Mr. Joseph said Michel had already spent six years behind bars and was suffering from heath issues.

The court assured Mr. Joseph that the case would come up in January.

In 2023, the apex court had take note that besides offences like cheating, dishonestly inducing delivery of property, criminal conspiracy and corruption, Michel was also alleged to have committed the offence of forging valuable security, which had a maximum punishment of life imprisonment under Section 467 of the Indian Penal Code.