Want to withdraw application seeking permission to further probe Bofors case, CBI to Delhi Court

The CBI on Thursday informed a Delhi Court that it wants to withdraw application seeking permission to further probe the Bofors case. Private petitioner Ajay Aggarwal also told the court that he wanted to withdraw his plea seeking further probe in Bofors case. After the pela, the Delhi Court allowed the CBI to withdraw the application, next hearing in the case on July 6. Earlier, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Naveen Kashyap raised question 'why does CBI need court's permission to proceed with further investigation in matter" and asked CBI to place on record case laws to show that it needs permission from the court to probe further in Bofors case.

The CBI on Thursday informed a Delhi Court that it wants to withdraw application seeking permission to further probe the Bofors case. Private petitioner Ajay Aggarwal also told the court that he wanted to withdraw his plea seeking further probe in Bofors case. After the pela, the Delhi Court allowed the CBI to withdraw the application, next hearing in the case on July 6. Earlier, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Naveen Kashyap raised question 'why does CBI need court's permission to proceed with further investigation in matter" and asked CBI to place on record case laws to show that it needs permission from the court to probe further in Bofors case.

Advocate Ajay Agrawal, who had contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 from Rai Bareli against then Congress President Sonia Gandhi, had claimed that in 2018 proceedings that as per an RTI reply of March 21, 2011 received by him, a sum of Rs 4.77 crore was spent in the total investigation of the Bofors case.

The Rs 1,437-crore deal between India and Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors for the supply of 400 155mm Howitzer guns for the Indian Army was entered into on March 24, 1986.

Swedish Radio on April 16, 1987, had claimed that the company had paid bribes to top Indian politicians and defence personnel.

The CBI on January 22, 1990 had registered the FIR for alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery under the Indian Penal Code and other sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Martin Ardbo, the then President of AB Bofors, alleged middleman Win Chadda and the Hinduja brothers.

It had alleged that certain public servants and private persons in India and abroad had entered into a criminal conspiracy between 1982 and 1987 in pursuance of which the offences of bribery, corruption, cheating and forgery were committed.

The first charge sheet in the case was filed on October 22, 1999, against Chadda, Ottavio Quattrocchi, then defence secretary S K Bhatnagar, Ardbo and the Bofors company. A supplementary charge sheet was filed against the Hinduja brothers on October 9, 2000.

(With inputs from PTI)