CBI SEEKS NOD TO MOVE SC AGAINST DELHI HC ORDER IN BOFORS CASE

NEW DELHI: The CBI has sought permission from the government to challenge in the Supreme Court a 12-year-old order of Delhi high court in Bofors case.

The CBI’s move, in effect, may revive the politically sensitive Bofors pay-off controversy.

“We have asked the government to reconsider it’s earlier decision of not allowing the agency to challenge the HC order in the top court,” said a senior CBI official. The earlier decision was taken when the UPA government was in power.

The CBI has written to the ministry of personnel, the administrative ministry of the probe agency, in this regard, the official said.

Delhi high court order on May 31, 2005 quashed all charges against Europe-based Hinduja brothers in the Bofors case.

Sources said the CBI was in favour of filing a Special Leave Petition against the HC order but due to denial of sanction from the government it could not move further.

Sources said even if the agency now gets sanction to file the SLP, it will have to request the SC to condone the delay, which is normally a period of three months.

The then Delhi high court judge RS Sodhi had on May 31, 2005, quashed all charges against the Hinduja brothers -Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand -- and the Bofors company and criticised the CBI for its handling of the case saying it had cost the exchequer about ₹250 crore.