New Delhi: The apex court today has dismissed CBI’s appeal to reopen Bofors case over a delay of 13 years in filing the appeal against Delhi High Court’s verdict.
The Delhi High Court in Bofors case has discharged all the accused including the Hinduja brothers.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said that the court is not convinced of the grounds the Central Bureau of Investigation has given over the delay in filling the appeal against the Delhi High court’s verdict.
The court, however, said that since an appeal against the same high court verdict filed by Ajay Agarwal is pending, the agency can raise all grounds in the appeal.
“We are not convinced by the grounds by the petitioner in explaining the inordinate delay of 4,522 says in filing the appeal. We notice in the criminal appeal filed by the complainant CBI is a party and it will be entitled to raise all pleas at the time of the hearing,” the Supreme Court said.
According to records, March 1986 deal was signed between India and Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors to buy 400 units of the 155 mm Howitzer guns.
The agency has filed an appeal in February against the 2005 verdict of the Delhi High Court, which had quashed all charges against the Hinduja brothers Srichand, Gopichand, and Prakashchand in the Bofors scam, NDTV reports.
Citing new evidence in the Bofors scam case, the CBI told that an interview of Michael Hershman, Fairfax Firm president of US-based private detective firm revealed while he was investigating into currency control law violation by some wealthy Indians, he came across leads indicating Bofors paid bribes through banks. Mr. Heshman also offered to testify his statement and help the Indian agencies in the Bofors case.