Early hearing of appeal in Bofors case sought in Supreme Court

New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI) An application was Thursday
moved in the Supreme Court of India seeking an early hearing
of an appeal filed against the Delhi High Court's verdict
quashing all charges against Europe-based Hinduja Brothers in
the Bofors pay-off case.

Advocate Ajay Agarwal, who challenged the May 31,
2005, decision of the High Court in the apex court after
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to file the
appeal within the mandatory 90-day period, sought an early
hearing in the case on the ground that it has been pending for
the last four years.

Justice R S Sodhi (since retired) had quashed the
chargsheet filed by CBI against the Hinduja brothers -- S P
Hinduja, G P Hinduja and P P Hinduja.

The advocate sought an early hearing of the appeal
alleging that CBI has been in collusion with the accused in
the case which became evident by the investigating agency's
decison to seek withdrawal of the case against the Italian
businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi who is also an accused in the
case.

"For the reasons showing apparent CBI collusiveness
with the accused persons in Bofors scam and taking the plea of
the High Court judgement gone unchallenged by CBI, it is
expedient in the interest of justice that the matter be heard
at an early date," Agrawal said in his apllication.

The application was moved a day before a trial court
is to hear the application filed by the probe agency seeking
to close the case against Quattrocchi. MORE PTI RKS
ANU


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