Bofors scam: Supreme Court refuses to entertain CBI's plea
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea filed by CBI in the Bofors scam. The CBI appealed against the 2005 Delhi HC order which discharged Hinduja brothers. The brothers were the prime accused in the scandal which resulted in the falling of the Rajiv Gandhi government. The appeal wasn't entertained since it had been filed after a delay of 13 years.
The case
The scam which tainted Rajiv Gandhi government
Under the VP Singh government, a case was registered. It was alleged that AB Bofors paid Rs. 64 crore as commission to get the Rs. 1,437.72 crore arms deal in March 1986, when Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister. In the charge sheet of the CBI, the Gandhi family, an Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochi, Hindujas and several others who helped land the deal, were named.
The verdict
Many accused lived and died with stigma: Delhi HC
The scam was investigated for 18 years. A joint parliamentary committee probe was formed to look into the allegations, and the CBI visited nine countries to unearth the truth. Delhi HC's Justice RS Sodhi, who quashed charges against Hindujas, said the case affected many political and professional careers. "Many an accused lived and died with a stigma," he noted in his 36-page order.
CBI
CBI was suggested to approach SC
Many members of a parliamentary sub-committee on defense related to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had in 2017 noted that the case should be re-investigation as there was laxity in the first probe. The CBI was asked why it didn't approach the SC after the HC's order, and it said it would look into the circumstances. Subsequently, they knocked on the doors of SC.