Court to consider Bofors chargesheet against Hindujas today

Earlier, the court of special Judge Ajit Bharihoke had fixed November 20 for passing appropriate orders on the CBI chargesheet which named three Hinduja brothers Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand and accused them of receiving 81 million Swedish croners from the Swedish gun manufacturer.

London-based Srichand is the Chairman of Hinduja Group while his younger brother Gopichand is the group’s president. Prakashchand Hinduja is based in Geneva.

The supplementary chargesheet came a year after the first one was filed before the same judge in the 13-year-old case naming Italian businessman Ottavio Quattorcchi, former Bofors agent Win Chadha, former Defence Secretary S K Bhatnagar, former Bofors Chief Martin Ardbo and the Bofors company.

Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s name had also figured in the first chargesheet as "accused not sent up for trial."

The three Hinduja brothers have been named in the chargesheet under Section 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code and under Sections 5(2) and 5(1)(D) of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The agency said the Hinduja brothers had deposited the amount in three Swiss Banks — Swiss Bank Corporation, Credit Swisse Bank and Hanover Manufacturer’s Trust.

According to the chargesheet, Bofors paid kickbacks to various persons including Hindujas, Quattrocchi and Chadha for securing the contract for the supply of the 155 mm Howitzer Guns to India.

This was in breach of the condition put by the Government that there would be no middlemen or payment of commissions in the deal, CBI alleged.

On September 28, Hindujas had said in London that they had given statements under oath to the Swiss investigating judge that the funds received by them from Bofors company had no relation to the gun deal with India in support of their contention of non-involvement in the case.