NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 16: Swiss authorities on Thursday handed over another set of secret Swiss bank documents relating to the Rs 64 crore kickbacks allegedly paid in the 1986 gun deal with AB Bofors of Sweden.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 to India in January 1997 which were brought by then CBI director Joginder Singh. After scrutinising the documents, the CBI had named five persons as the beneficiaries of the pay-off 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 chargesheet 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 chargesheet, meaning that no trial would be held against him as he is no more.Taking cognisance of the chargesheet on November 4, Additional Sessions Judge issued summons to all but 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 Bhatnagar and granted more time to CBI to execute the arrest warrants against Quattrocchi. Fresh summons have also been issued to Ardbo and the company in Swedish language and arrest warrants against Chadha.
