AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper Scam: A Timeline of Allegations, Investigations and Court Cases

Supreme Court petition still pending; Michel back before the trial court Unresolved

After the 24 July order, Michel’s petition was listed for 25 August 2026. AiTimeline found no report of what happened at that hearing, whether the Centre filed its counter-affidavit, or any ruling. On 3 September 2026 IANS photographed him arriving at the Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi, where both the CBI and ED cases are tried (IANS via SocialNews.xyz).

As of the latest reports found, he had bail in both cases but remained in custody, and the court had noted in December 2025 that charges were not yet framed in the CBI case.

Supreme Court gives the Centre a last three weeks to reply Court order

The bench gave the Union government a final three weeks to file its counter-affidavit and said no more time would be given, listing the case for 25 August (ANI). Michel argues that he has already served more than the seven-year maximum for the offences on which the UAE extradited him, so continued detention breaches Article 21.

Supreme Court issues notice on the extradition-treaty challenge Court order

LiveLaw reported on 24 April 2026 that a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued notice on Michel’s challenge to Article 17 of the 1999 India-UAE extradition treaty, which allows prosecution for offences connected with those in the extradition request (LiveLaw). On 4 May a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notice to the Centre, CBI and ED, returnable in four weeks (LiveLaw). He argues the clause conflicts with the rule of speciality in Section 21 of the Extradition Act.

Delhi High Court refuses to free Michel Court order

The division bench dismissed his petition and upheld the trial court’s refusal to release him under Section 436A CrPC. It held there was no conflict between Section 21 of the Extradition Act and Article 17, because the Dubai extradition decree covered offences “directly arising from the factual background” (LiveLaw). The forgery charge under Section 467 IPC carries a possible life term, so he could not be said to have served the maximum sentence.

Release ordered in the ED case; bail terms eased in the CBI case Court order

On 20 December a Rouse Avenue court ordered Michel’s release in the ED money-laundering case, accepting that he had spent about seven years in custody, the maximum under the money-laundering law (National Herald). He stayed in jail because of the CBI case. On 23 December Special CBI Judge Sanjay Jindal allowed a cash surety in place of a fixed deposit and dropped the passport deposit for now, because his passport had expired; the FRRO was told to stop him leaving India. The judge noted that “charges are yet to be decided” (LawBeat).

Trial court refuses release on time served in the CBI case Court order

Michel said he had served the seven-year maximum for the extradited offences. The court disagreed because the CBI also accuses him of forgery under Section 467 IPC, punishable with life imprisonment, and said whether that charge holds will be decided at the charge stage (ETV Bharat).

Delhi High Court grants bail in the ED case Court order

The High Court granted Michel bail in the Enforcement Directorate’s money-laundering case, two weeks after the Supreme Court’s bail order in the CBI case (India Today). The ED’s 2016 prosecution complaint alleges he received about €30 million from AgustaWestland.

Supreme Court grants bail in the CBI case Court order

The Supreme Court granted Michel bail in the CBI corruption case, citing more than six years in custody and the slow pace of the trial (Indian Express). He remained in Tihar because he could not satisfy the conditions, including furnishing a local address with an expired passport.

CBI charges a former Defence Secretary Allegation

After the government granted sanction, the CBI filed a further charge sheet naming Shashi Kant Sharma, Defence Secretary in 2011-13 and later Comptroller and Auditor General, together with Air Vice Marshal (retd) Jasbir Singh Panesar and three other former officials (The Week). The agency had first sought sanction in March 2020 (The Week).

Supplementary charge sheet names Michel, Saxena and 13 others Allegation

The CBI filed a supplementary charge sheet against 15 accused, including Michel and Rajiv Saxena, and told the court it might file another after sanction for officials came through (Outlook). The special court took cognisance on 25 September (Business Standard).

Rajiv Saxena extradited, later turns approver Allegation

Dubai-based businessman Rajiv Saxena and corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar were brought from the UAE in the early hours of 31 January (Madhyamam/PTI). In March a Delhi court allowed Saxena to become an approver in the ED case, with the agency’s support (Bar and Bench). The ED alleges he helped build the corporate structure used to move money.

Christian Michel is extradited from the UAE Established

The British national whom the CBI calls a middleman in the deal was flown from Dubai and arrested on arrival; some accounts date it to 5 December (Wikipedia summary). The ED later arrested him in its case. Michel denies wrongdoing.

Italy’s courts finally acquit the former executives Court order

A Milan appeals court acquitted former Finmeccanica chief Giuseppe Orsi and former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini of international corruption on 8 January 2018 (ANSA). On 22 May 2019 Italy’s top court upheld the acquittals (ANSA). The CBI said the Italian verdict had no bearing on its case, which rests on its own investigation (Business Standard/PTI).

First CBI charge sheet names former IAF chief Tyagi Allegation

The CBI’s first charge sheet named former Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi and others, alleging a conspiracy to change the helicopter requirements in return for money routed through middlemen (Wikipedia summary). Tyagi denies the charges.

Former Air Chief S.P. Tyagi is arrested, then bailed Allegation

The CBI arrested Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan. Granting Tyagi bail on 26 December, the judge said the CBI had not stated how much cash was paid to him or when (The Tribune; The Quint).

Italian appeal convicts the executives, then the verdict is annulled Court order

In April 2016 the Milan appeals court sentenced Orsi to four and a half years and Spagnolini to four for international corruption, and its reasoning was widely quoted in India. On 16 December Italy’s Court of Cassation annulled that verdict for procedural errors and ordered a retrial (The Quint).

ED files its money-laundering complaint against Michel Allegation

The ED’s prosecution complaint alleges Michel received about €30 million from AgustaWestland through contracts it says disguised commissions (LiveLaw).

First Italian verdict: no corruption, false invoices Court order

The trial court acquitted Orsi and Spagnolini of international corruption and convicted them of false invoicing, with two-year sentences (Wikipedia summary).

Bank guarantees encashed as recovery reaches about Rs 2,068 crore Established

India encashed bank guarantees after termination; after an Italian court ruling in its favour, the total recovered was reported at about Rs 2,068 crore, against roughly Rs 1,620 crore paid (Wikipedia summary). Reported figures vary by date and source.

India terminates the contract Established

The ministry terminated the contract, citing breach of the pre-contract integrity pact and the agreement (Business Standard). Three AW101s had been delivered; they were kept, unused, in IAF hangars (The Week).

CAG report questions the procurement Audit finding

The auditor found the process deviated from procedure: the altitude requirement was cut from 6,000 m to 4,500 m and a 1.8 m cabin height added, which made the AW101 eligible and the Eurocopter EC225 ineligible; field trials required in India were held abroad on a representative helicopter; and the benchmark price left “no room for negotiation” (CAG; PRS summary).

CBI registers an FIR Allegation

The CBI registered a preliminary enquiry against 11 persons on 25 February and then an FIR naming 13 persons, including Tyagi, and four companies. The Solicitor General later gave the date as 12 March (LiveLaw); other accounts say 13 March (Wikipedia summary).

Finmeccanica chief arrested in Italy; India orders a CBI probe Established

Italian police arrested Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi, and AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini was put under house arrest. The same day the Defence Ministry asked the CBI to inquire, and payments to the company were frozen (PIB; Wikipedia summary).

Italian prosecutors open an investigation Established

Italian prosecutors began examining whether commissions on the Indian sale were bribes (Wikipedia summary). Reports of the probe reached Indian media in 2012.

India signs for 12 AW101 helicopters Established

The ministry signed with AgustaWestland International Ltd for 12 AW101s, with engineering support and related equipment. The CAG converted the price to Rs 3,726.96 crore (PRS summary). They were to replace the IAF’s ageing Mi-8 VVIP fleet.

Revised tender and trials abroad Audit finding

The revised request for proposals used the lowered 4,500 m ceiling and the new cabin-height rule. Field evaluation of the AW101 was done abroad on representative aircraft while the version offered was still in development, which the CAG later criticised (PRS summary).

First tender asks for a 6,000 m ceiling Audit finding

The first RFP required operation at 6,000 m. Only the Eurocopter EC225 met it, so the process was scrapped as a single-vendor situation (PRS summary).

IAF proposes replacing its VVIP helicopters Established

The IAF proposed replacing its ageing VVIP helicopters with a more capable type, beginning a procurement that took more than ten years (PRS summary).