AgustaWestland case: CBI, ED oppose regular bail plea of Christian Michel

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate on Thursday opposed the regular bail plea of Christian Michel, an accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, during the hearing in the Supreme Court.

The CBI informed the apex court through a reply copy that it will file a supplementary charge sheet in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam since sufficient evidence attributing criminality against other public servants and private persons have surfaced during the ongoing probe.

The Central probe agencies opposing the bail plea of Christian Michel states he is a high flight risk can flee the country, bail should not be given on medical grounds because adequate facilities are there in Tihar Jail.

The agencies made the submissions before Special Judge Arvind Kumar while opposing the bail application moved by British-national Christian Michel, the alleged middleman arrested in the case.

The hearing is now scheduled to be held tomorrow in the top court.

The alleged middleman was extradited from Dubai last year and is lodged in Thar Jail in connection with alleged irregularities in the chopper deal.

Kumar had earlier sought a response from the CBI and the ED on the petition. Micheal, his petition, said that he should be granted bail since he has been in custody for the last 375 days including days spent in Dubai jail during his extradition proceedings."The applicant has undergone almost 600 hours of custodial interrogation by both the agencies. As of today, the Applicant has spent 375 days in custody including the period which he spent in Dubai jail," the petition read.Michel, who was extradited from the UAE in December, last year, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with the CBI and ED cases against him related to the AgustaWestland deal.While the CBI is probing his alleged role as a "middleman" in the Rs 3,600-crore deal, the ED is investigating money laundering charges against him.