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No decision on exemption from personal appearance for Hindujas in Bofors case

"If they are not allowed to go abroad, are they supposed to be in Bombay instead of attending court proceedings?" newly appointed special judge R L Chugh asked.

The observation came from the judge while hearing applications for exemption from personal appearance of the accused brothers who, according to their counsel Arvind Nigam, were away in Bombay to attend a meeting.

The court refused to pass any order on the exemption applications filed on behalf of Hinduja brothers - Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand - and kept them pending till the High Court decided on their plea for leaving the country.

The court fixed April 20 for further proceedings.

Earlier, requesting the court to exempt the Hinduja brothers from personal appearance, Nigam submitted that some other accused in the case were given such an exemption.

On February one, Chugh's predecessor Ajit Bharihoke had rejected Hindujas' plea to leave the country. The Hindujas, challenged the order in the High Court which has reserved its order on their appeal.

Besides the Hinduja brothers, Kuala Lumpur-based Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, former Bofors agent Win Chadha, former defence secretary S K Bhatnagar, then Bofors chief Martin Ardbo and the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors have also been chargesheeted in the case by the CBI.

They have been accused of criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption in the Rs 14.37 billion deal for the supply of 400 155mm Howitzer guns by Bofors to India in 1986.

The court also extended the non-bailable warrant issued against Quattrocchi, a key accused in the case, till April 20 after CBI counsel Baljit Singh submitted that extradition proceedings against him in Malaysia would take some more time.

The CBI informed the court that legible copies of certain documents as ordered by the court had been supplied to the Hindujas and the Bofors company, now renamed Kartongen Kemi Och Farvaltning AB.

Regarding some other documents, Chugh directed the accused to inspect the file in the court itself.

Of the eight accused in the case, only Bhatnagar and Bofors' representative Punita Singh were present during the proceedings.

Bhatnagar filed an application for exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds.

Chadha, who was denied permission to leave the country after he appeared before the court last year, has also been given exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds.

Regarding Ardbo, the CBI informed the court that it was awaiting the outcome of a red corner alert issued against him through the Interpol.

ALSO SEE
Court extends warrant against Quattrocchi

COMPLETE COVERAGE
The Bofors saga

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