Overview
- Special Judge Sanjay Jindal declined Christian Michel’s Section 436A bid for release in the CBI corruption case, noting the issue had been litigated earlier and is pending before the Delhi High Court as prosecutors pointed to a life-term forgery charge on the record.
- The court modified bail terms by permitting a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh and a Rs 5 lakh cash surety and allowing release without immediate passport deposit, with any fresh passport to be placed with the trial court through the British High Commission.
- The Foreigners Regional Registration Office was directed to ensure Michel does not leave India, reinforcing travel restrictions as bail conditions were eased.
- A special PMLA court earlier ordered his release in the ED money-laundering case after recording that he has spent about seven years in custody, which equals the maximum sentence under the law.
- The prosecutions stem from the 2010 VVIP helicopter deal worth about Rs 3,600 crore, with investigators alleging altered specifications and kickbacks, an estimated Rs 2,666 crore loss to the exchequer, and funds routed via Global Services FZE; Michel denies wrongdoing.