Michel had challenged a Delhi High Court order that directed the British High Commission to submit his renewed passport directly to the trial court, instead of handing it over to him.
NEW DELHI: 29th May: On Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea by British national Christian Michel, who had requested the removal of the condition requiring him to provide a local address in order to be released on bail in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper money laundering case.
Michel had challenged a Delhi High Court order that directed the British High Commission to submit his renewed passport directly to the trial court, instead of handing it over to him.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sanjay Kumar. Michel’s lawyer argued that the directive issued on May 18, which required the submission of his renewed passport straight to the trial court rather than to him personally, was legally unsound.
According to the lawyer, “Such an order cannot legally compel action from a foreign diplomatic authority.”
Justice Vikram Nath asked the counsel, “What is hurting you?” — seeking to understand Michel’s grievance with the High Court’s order.
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The lawyer responded by pointing out another difficulty related to the bail condition.
He stated, “The applicant has been directed to furnish the details of residential addresses where he intends to reside post release. I don’t have local address. This condition I can’t fulfill.”
To this, Justice Vikram Nath reminded the lawyer, “That is why we granted you bail.”
Michel’s lawyer continued to press the issue, saying, “I don’t have passport. I am foreigner.”
He further added, “The address is London address. We don’t have an address here.”
Justice Vikram Nath responded sternly, “If you have to stay in this country, you must make some arrangements…somebody must be giving you instructions.”
However, the lawyer insisted, “Address arrangements can’t be made. That is only difficulty.”
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The bench was not convinced.
In a sharp response, Justice Vikram Nath ruled, “Dismissed. If you have permanent address in Tihar then stay there only. We gave you bail, you don’t want to fulfill the condition of providing local address.”
With that, the Supreme Court rejected Christian Michel’s plea. The court made it clear that bail cannot be granted unconditionally, and basic requirements such as providing a local address must be fulfilled by the accused—even if he is a foreign national.
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