A British national accused in a high-profile money laundering case has refused to accept bail granted to him by an Indian court, claiming he does not feel safe outside prison.
Christian Michel James, who was extradited from Dubai in 2018, is alleged to have been the middleman in a multi-million-dollar bribery scandal related to the AgustaWestland helicopter deal. He has spent more than six years in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail awaiting trial and was recently granted bail by the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.
However, during a court hearing on Friday, Mr Michel made it clear that he would not accept bail, citing threats to his life and a lack of security in the Indian capital.
“For me, Delhi is just a larger prison,” he told the court of Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal. “My family cannot come here; they have been told for years it is not safe. You know I have security issues. There have been attempts on my life twice.”
Mr Michel, who was admitted to Delhi premier hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences for hip surgery last month, alleged that an incident took place during his treatment, as he raised serious concerns about his safety.
“I have to say with great regret that something happened in AIIMS that I have to talk to you about in private. And I have witnesses,” he said, as he stood holding crutches.
The court acknowledged his concerns but insisted that once bail had been granted, there was no legal basis to continue his detention.
“But you have gotten bail,” the judge noted, to which Mr Michel responded, “That is my point, your honor. I would rather serve my sentence and continue the trial via video conferencing from a safe country.”
Mr Michel’s refusal to step out of jail is unusual, as most detainees fight for bail. His lawyer, Aljo K Joseph, explained to The Independent that his client is unwilling to be released under the current conditions because his passport has been seized, preventing him from leaving India, where he fears for his life.
“He is not refusing bail,” Mr Joseph clarified. “The conditions are that his passport has to be seized, and he cannot travel abroad. But as he said in court, staying outside and staying in Delhi is not safe for him. There have already been two attempts on his life.”
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Mr Michel reiterated that he would only be comfortable if the court explicitly outlined his sentence so that he could serve it and leave the country. “What I want is for the lord to identify my exact sentence. What is my sentence? I will serve that sentence,” he said.
However, the court pointed out that sentencing could only occur once the trial was concluded. The prosecution has maintained that his continued detention was necessary, given the nature of the allegations and the risk of him absconding.
The Delhi High Court’s bail order required Mr Michel to furnish a bond of Rs500,000 (£4,500) and a surety of the same amount while surrendering his passport. However, his refusal to accept bail complicates his legal status.
When court asked if he could arrange a safe house for himself in India, Mr Michel said he would require his own security and did not see how he could manage that. “The problem I am having is with the police,” he alleged.
Despite being held in custody for more than six years, Mr Michel’s trial has yet to begin, which his legal team argues is a clear violation of his right to a speedy trial.
“The investigation started in 2013. We are now in 2025, and 12 years have passed. The investigation is still not complete,” Mr Joseph said. “They are looking for something that does not exist. They are looking for evidence that they are not getting. It is just a red herring.”
Mr Michel’s legal team said the UK High Commission has provided only minimal assistance, such as delivering letters and some basic supplies like multivitamins and chocolates.
“There has not been much support beyond normal consular visits,” Mr Joseph said. “We have been telling them repeatedly that the UK government should call for his release. But the UK government has some reservations and has only said, ‘OK, it’s a due process, court proceedings.’ That’s what they have been saying for a long time.”
Mr Michel is accused of being a key intermediary in the controversial 2010 deal between India’s Ministry of Defence and Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland for the purchase of 12 luxury VVIP helicopters, a contract worth over €556 million (£322.4m). Investigators allege that bribes were paid to Indian officials to secure the contract and that Mr Michel personally received commissions amounting to €30 million (£25.7m).
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), India’s financial crime-fighting agency, alleges that Mr Michel played a pivotal role in routing illicit funds and using shell companies to disguise payments. He has been charged under India’s Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is also facing charges under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for corruption-related offences.
In February 2025, India’s Supreme Court granted him bail in the CBI case, noting that the investigation had been dragging on for more than a decade without a conclusion.
“You will not be able to conclude the trial in another 25 years going by what your conduct has been,” the Supreme Court remarked in its ruling.
The Independent has contacted Tihar Jail authorities for comment.
