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🇮🇳 India /Crime & Justice

Supreme Court ends Bofors case, rejects appeal against acquittal

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • The Supreme Court dismissed the final appeal in the Bofors pay-off case, effectively ending a nearly four-decade-old corruption investigation.
  • The appeal challenged a 2005 Delhi High Court ruling that had already quashed all criminal proceedings against the Hinduja brothers and arms manufacturer AB Bofors.
  • The case, which rocked the Rajiv Gandhi government, significantly impacted the 1989 general election and contributed to the Congress party's loss of power.

The Supreme Court has definitively closed the door on the Bofors pay-off scandal, dismissing the last remaining appeal against a 2005 verdict that cleared the Hinduja brothers and Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors. This decision brings a close to one of India's most protracted corruption cases, which first surfaced nearly 40 years ago concerning alleged kickbacks in the ₹1,437-crore Bofors gun deal.

What's all this about the Hinduja brothers and CBI?

— Supreme Court benchThe Supreme Court bench questioned the ongoing proceedings in the Bofors case.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran rejected a plea for adjournment from BJP leader Ajay K Agrawal, who was seeking more time to amend his appeal. The court questioned the necessity of continuing a case that had been pending since 2018, especially after the investigating agency's own challenge had already been dismissed.

All proceedings were quashed. What is this? How many years have passed?

— Supreme Court benchThe bench expressed surprise at the case's longevity after the Delhi High Court had already cleared the accused.

Agrawal argued that the defense deal dated back to 1986 and attempted to explain the CBI's prior dismissal, stating the agency was a respondent in his petition. However, the bench cut him short, stating, "No, no... dismissed." The court refused to grant an adjournment, emphasizing the matter's age and dismissing the appeal.

No, no...dismissed.

— Supreme Court benchThe bench firmly rejected the advocate's attempt to explain the CBI's prior dismissal.

The Bofors scandal had a significant political impact, shaking the Rajiv Gandhi government and damaging his public image. It heavily influenced the 1989 general election campaign, with many believing it contributed to the Congress party's defeat that year.

No question of adjournment. It is a 2018 matter.

— Supreme Court benchThe court refused to grant further time to the appellant.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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