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Rohit Wadhwaney in New Delhi
A Delhi court on Monday permitted two of the Europe-based Hinduja brothers named in the Bofors kickbacks case to travel abroad, but ordered them to return by September 30.
"Gopichand Hinduja and Shrichand Hinduja can go abroad but must return by September 30," trial court judge S L Khanna ruled.
Khanna said the third brother - Prakashchand - would have to remain in the country as surety for the other two.
The Hindujas have not been asked to furnish any fresh bonds before travelling abroad. All three had posted separate bonds of Rs 150 million each while being permitted to go abroad earlier this year.
The Hindujas are charged with receiving $ 10 million in kickbacks from the Swedish arms manufacturer Bofors to secure a Rs 14-billion deal in March 1986 for the supply of 55 mm howitzer guns to the Indian Army.
The case has been investigated for over a decade, but the CBI charged the Hindujas only last November.
The kickbacks were allegedly deposited in three coded accounts in Swiss and German banks. Although the Hindujas had initially dissociated themselves from the accounts, they later admitted that the payments were made to them but said that these were not connected with the gun deal.
The Supreme Court had on May 12 permitted Shrichand and Gopichand Hinduja to travel abroad. A similar request from Prakashchand was denied and he was asked to stay in the country as a surety for his brothers.
After the two brothers returned, Prakashchand Hinduja moved an application to travel abroad and was granted permission to do so on August 8. This time, judges M B Shah and R P Sethi directed Shrichand and Gopichand Hinduja to stay in India till their brother returned.
Prakashchand Hinduja has since returned to the country.
The Hindujas had appeared before special judge Ajit Bharihoke of the CBI trial court on January 19 in response to summons issued by him. Bharihoke had given the brothers bail on the condition that they would not leave the country without the court's permission.
Bharihoke had also permitted the CBI to interrogate the Hindujas, a process that continued till January 30.
Bharihoke was transferred to another post in early February in what was described as a "routine" move.
The Hindujas had moved the Delhi high court for permission to travel abroad after the CBI told Bharihoke that it had completed its interrogation. They moved the Supreme Court after the high court turned down their plea.
The Hinduja brothers are among eight accused in the case. Also named is the late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, who had given the go-ahead for the gun deal. Another accused in the case, former defence secretary S K. Bhatnagar died earlier this month of cancer.
Indo-Asian News Service
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