AgustaWestland scam: Supreme Court seeks response from CBI, ED on Christian Michel bail plea

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the bail plea filed by AgustaWestland scam accused, Christian Michel [Christian Michel v. Central Bureau of Investigation]..A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant and PS Narasimha remarked that the accused had already spent 4 years in prison and issued notice to CBI and listed the matter for further hearing in the second week of July. "He has already undergone 4 years almost and we will have to look (at the plea) from that perspective as well," Justice Chandrachud remarked.Counsel for Michel submitted that their case is covered under Section 436A (maximum period for which an under trial prisoner can be detained) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). "I have undergone the maximum sentence as per the provisions. The investigation is still not complete. I have undergone 3 years and 6 months as of now and before extradition, I was in Dubai custody," it was submitted. Responding to the Bench's query, counsel added that Michel had never absconded. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) submitted that Michel had not been exonerated anywhere, and Section 436A did not apply to offences being probed by the ED.As to the contention by Michel that his presence is needed in Italy since charges have been framed against him there, the ASG stated that he is not even a party.The Court, however, proceeded to issue notice to CBI.Advocates Aljo Joseph and MS Vishnu Shankar appeared for Michel. Michel's bail plea had earlier been dismissed by the Delhi High Court after the court deemed him to be a flight-risk. .Michel is accused of creating a paper trail to route kickbacks in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, a 2013 helicopter bribery scam in which money was allegedly paid to middlemen and Indian officials in 2006 and 2007 to purchase choppers for politicians. The CBI had estimated the amount of bribes at US$33 million, transferred through bank accounts in the UK and UAE..[Follow our coverage of the proceedings]