SC dismisses CBI appeal to reopen Bofors case over delay of 4,500 days
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed CBI's appeal against the Delhi High Court verdict discharging all the accused including Hinduja brothers in Rs 64 crore Bofors pay-off case.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi rejected the CBI plea seeking condonation of the 13-year delay in filing the appeal against the May 31, 2005 judgement of the high court.
It said it was not convinced with the grounds of the CBI to condone over 4,500 days' delay in filing the appeal. The CBI had filed the appeal on February 2 this year. The apex court, however, said the CBI can raise all grounds in the appeal against the same high court verdict filed by advocate Ajay Agrawal who has also challenged the judgement.
The top court has already admitted the petition filed by Agrawal who had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election against then Congress president Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareilly.
Attorney General K K Venugopal asked the top court to make it clear in its order that dismissal of CBI appeal would not preclude the probe agency from carrying out an investigation in the case.
The apex court, however, did not mention anything in its order on this issue. The high court in its 2005 judgement had quashed all charges against the three Hinduja brothers -- S P Hinduja, G P Hinduja and P P Hinduja -- and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Rs 1,437-crore deal between India and Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors for the supply of 400 units of 155-mm Howitzer guns for the Indian Army was entered into on March 24, 1986.
