Who is Ajay Agarwal, BJP leader who challenged HC’s verdict in Bofors case

Agarwal started practising law from 1987 at Delhi High Court and later moved on to Supreme Court where he filed PILs in several cases, including the Taj Corridor case against BSP chief Mayawati and fake stamp paper case involving Abdul Karim Telgi.

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BJP leader and lawyer Ajay Agarwal. (ANI photo)

The Supreme court on Friday agreed to hear an appeal of BJP leader Ajay K Agarwal challenging a Delhi High Court order that acquitted the accused in the Bofors pay-off case and will be hearing the matter in October this year.

Agarwal is a Supreme Court lawyer and a politician who contested the 2014 general elections from Rae Bareli on a BJP ticket. He unsuccessfully contested against Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

An RSS activist, Agarwal hails from Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was an assistant professor of law at Lucknow University. He started practising law from 1987 at Delhi High Court and later moved on to Supreme Court where he filed public interest litigations (PILs) in several cases, including the Taj Corridor case against Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and the fake stamp paper case involving Abdul Karim Telgi.

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Bofors case to be reopened? SC agrees to hear appeal filed by BJP leader in October

Associated with BJP for long, Agarwal had joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) in January 2012, but returned to BJP in October 2013.

Agarwal had challenged the Delhi High Court’s May 31, 2005 judgment that quashed all charges against the Europe-based Hinduja brothers in the Bofors case. On October 18, 2005 the Supreme Court had admitted Agarwal’s petition which was filed after the CBI failed to approach the top court with the appeal within the 90-day deadline following the High Court verdict. It also allowed Agrawal to file an appeal against the high court verdict in the absence of any appeal by CBI.

What is the Bofors scam case, why is it in the news now?

(With inputs from agencies)

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Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

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