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CBI moves for separation
of trial in Bofors case

The Central Bureau of Investigation Friday moved an application before additional district and sessions judge R L Chugh, seeking the court's permission to delink the trial of the Hinduja brothers from the other accused.

The application was moved by special prosecutor for CBI, N Natrajan. The judge issued notices to all accused and gave them time till May 8 to file replies.

The three Hinduja brothers had moved the Delhi High Court last month and had asked for a speedy trial. While rejecting their plea for permission to go abroad, the court had directed the trial court to hear the matter expeditiously.

"In accordance with the directive given by the honourable Delhi high court, the CBI moved an application before the trial court, seeking permission to delink the trial of the Hinduja brothers from the rest of the accused, some are still absconding. The judge has issued notices to all accused," advocate for the CBI Baljeet Singh told rediff.com.

At one stage, advocates for the Hinduja brothers, Ujjwal Rana, Arvind Nigam and Y Kaul, pleaded for exemption from appearance on behalf of his clients, as they could not appear on May 7, the date fixed by the judge initially for hearing the matter next.

"On the one hand, you want an expeditious trail and on the other hand you want exemption from appearance," the judge remarked sarcastically.

The Hinduja brothers -- G P Hinduja, P P Hinduja and S P Hinduja -- were present in court.

The judge agreed to shift the date of hearing from May 7 to May 8, when it was pointed out that May 7 was a holiday and even the apex court was closed on that day.

The advocates for the Hindujas' pleaded for more time as their special leave petition was pending before the Supreme Court and may come up for hearing next week.

Advocate for Win Chadha, also an accused in the Bofors pay-off case, Rita Mann also requested that the name of her client be included in the list of accused who want a speedy trial.

Chugh extended the date of non-bailable warrants against Italian businessmen Ottavio Quattrochi, who is fighting against extradition from Malaysia.

Minutes after the Hinduja brothers departed from the court, Chugh heard another application moved by the CBI regarding extending the judicial custody of the Uzbek woman, Olga Kozireva.

Olga has been booked under Section RC5/2001/u.s 120B IPC read with Section 420 IPC read with 13 (d) (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

Olga, who was produced in court a little after 11 hours IST, pleaded with CBI officers to get her bail, as she has been in the prison since August last year.

In the absence of her advocate, Chugh remanded her to judicial custody till May 18.

CBI sources revealed that the agency is likely to make more arrests in the smuggling case registered against Olga by the Customs Department.

The CBI had raided more then 50 top Customs officials on March 31 and seized incriminating documents during the raids. Olga used to make three to four trips a week and she was allegedly allowed to walk through the green channel by the Customs.

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Complete coverage of the Bofors scandal

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