The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to British arms consultant Christian James Michel in a money laundering case to the AgustaWestland helicopter scam, reported Live Law.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma passed the order, noting that Michel had been in custody for six years and two months without trial beginning in the case.

“Such prolonged incarceration, without any foreseeable conclusion of trial, would infringe upon the applicant’s fundamental right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution,” Sharma was quoted as saying by Bar and Bench.

The case pertains to a Rs 3,565-crore helicopter deal that the former Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government had signed with British-Italian firm AgustaWestland. The deal was put on hold after Italy arrested the head of Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland’s parent company, on charges of paying bribes to win the contract.

Michel is one of three suspected middlemen whom Indian investigative agencies believe brokered the agreement. He was arrested on December 22, 2018, after he was extradited from the United Arab Emirates.

He was granted bail by the High Court on condition of furnishing a personal bond and surety of Rs 50,000 each. Michel has also been directed to surrender his passport in a trial court. The passport cannot be released without the High Court’s permission.

On February 18, the Supreme Court granted bail to Michel in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation is looking into the corruption allegations in the AgustaWestland case, while the Enforcement Directorate is looking into alleged money laundering linked to it. The CBI alleges that the deal caused a loss of 398.21 million euros, or Rs 2,666, to the exchequer.