India gets Bofors papers
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 16 — The final set of crucial documents in the Bofors case has been handed over by the Swiss authorities to India, it was officially announced here today.

The documents were received by Indian Ambassador to Switzerland K.P. Balakrishnan, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman here said.

A Swiss court had earlier rejected an appeal to prevent the transfer of the documents to the Indian Government, stating that there was no justification in the demand.

The first set of such bank documents were handed over to India in January, 1997, and these were brought by then CBI Director Joginder Singh.

After scrutinising the documents, the CBI had named five persons as beneficiaries of the payoff in the deal. They were Malaysia-based controversial Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi and his wife Maria and Dubai-based Win Chadha, his late wife Kanta and son Harsh.

Soon after, the CBI interrogated former Union Ministers Arun Singh and Arun Nehru, former Defence Secretary S.K. Bhatnagar, former Army chief Gen K. Sundarji, since dead, and a number of other Army officials.

The CBI then filed a charge sheet on October 22 this year against five — Bhatnagar, Quattrocchi, Chadha, Martin Ardbo, former president of AB Bofors, and the company itself (AB Bofors). Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was also named as an accused, but his name was put in the second column of the charge sheet, meaning that no trial would be held against him as he is no more.

Taking cognisance of the charge sheet on November 4, Additional Sessions Judge issued summons to all but Mr Quattrocchi against whom non-bailable warrants were issued as he had failed to honour his commitment to the Supreme Court.

On the next date of hearing on December 13, the Judge granted bail to Mr Bhatnagar and more time to the CBI to execute the arrest warrants against Mr Quattrocchi. Fresh summons have been issued to Mr Ardbo and the company in the Swedish language and arrest warrants against Mr Chadha.

A Swiss official press note issued in Berne said the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) had rejected a request made by the petitioners in the Bofors affair and ordered that the documents be handed over immediately to the Indian authorities.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee told mediapersons this evening that a team of senior officials would go to Berne to bring the classified documents.

When contacted, a CBI spokesman said arrangements were being made to collect the documents.