Delhi court allows Michel to apply for passport from jail

A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the scrapped Agusta Westland chopper deal, to apply for a new passport from inside prison as part of fulfilling his bail conditions.

- Arnabjit Sur

Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal of Rouse Avenue Court allowed Michel to apply for a new passport with the assistance of his lawyer Aljio K Joseph, and directed Tihar jail authorities to provide adequate support during the process.

The passport is key to Michel's release; one of the bail conditions set by the Delhi high court is that he surrender his passport; only, he doesn't have a valid one.

Michel told the court that he will have to apply for a new passport first since his existing passport has expired. Michel requested the court to let officials of the British High Commission come to Tihar jail to complete the formalities for issuance of a new passport. He submitted that it will take at least two more months for him to apply and get a new passport.

The court on Tuesday also allowed an application moved by Michel to personally inspect digital evidence in the case which CBI had not relied upon, at the agency's headquarters on Wednesday.

Michel has also moved another application before the court, seeking directions to the Tihar jail superintendent to produce his conduct report from January 2019, when he was jailed, contending that report will enable him to check his eligibility for a remission according to the Delhi Prison Rules.