Apex court to hear 12-yr-old Bofors case

ON MAY 31, 2005, JUSTICE RS SODHI HAD QUASHED ALL CHARGES AGAINST THE THREE HINDUJA BROTHERS AND BOFORS COMPANY

The Supreme Court finally agreed to hear the 12-year-old ₹64 crore Bofors pay-off case in the second week of October.

The decision came after petitioner Ajay Kumar Agarwal sought an early hearing of his appeal challenging the 2005 Delhi high court order that quashed charges against Europe-based industrialist Hinduja brothers in the case.

On May 31, 2005, justice RS Sodhi of the Delhi high court, since retired, had quashed all charges against the three Hinduja brothers — Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand — and the Bofors company.

He had also admonished the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for its inept handling of the case, saying it had cost the exchequer about ₹250 crore.

The Supreme Court had, on October 18, 2005, admitted Agarwal’s petition, which was filed after the CBI failed to approach the top court with the appeal within the 90-day deadline following the verdict of the high court.

Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs in Parliament have raised a demand for reopening the probe into the Bofors kickback scandal after media reports quoting Swedish chief investigator Sten Lindstrom suggested bribery at the top level.

Agarwal has cited the reports in his application for an early hearing.

Before the 2005 verdict, justice JD Kapoor of Delhi high court had exonerated late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the case and directed framing of charge of forgery under Section 465 of IPC against Bofors company.