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NATION:
BOFORS CASE
Logic
Of Homecoming
For
much of last week, the Hinduja siblings, Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand,
were forced into the cramped confines of the CBI headquarters in Delhi,
a far cry from their sprawling office in Haymarket, London. It had been
coming for a long time now.
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For years
they have been stonewalling summons by the CBI and the Indian government.
Last year, the brothers ignored four CBI notices seeking their presence
before the trial court in the Rs 64-crore Bofors kickbacks case. They
were even audacious enough to invite the agency to the group's headquarters
in London, an offer the authorities found preposterous.
When the
Hindujas finally arrived in Delhi on January 18 they were in for some
rude shocks. Though conditional bail was granted to them by CBI Special
Judge Ajit Bharihoke, they were barred from leaving India without permission.
And they have been subjected to about 40 hours of relentless grilling
by the investigators, with over 400 questions thrown at them, ranging
from their appeals in the Swiss courts to the hasty change of citizenships,
financial dealings with Bofors, and business interests in India and abroad.
In deciding
to come to India, the brothers took a calculated risk. They perhaps realised
that a prolonged evasion of law was bound to affect their business standing.
It may also have something to do with their understanding of the legal
process in India, where trials drag on for years. Most important, they
knew that the Indian Government would initiate extradition proceedings
against them which would result in tremendous loss of face for the brothers.
Interpol red alerts could also have involved harassment at international
airports.
Law officials
in India believe the Hindujas carefully planned their "homecoming".
Since the other accused in the case-former Bofors agent Win Chadha and
ex-defence secretary S.K. Bhatnagar-have been granted bail, they were
sure they would too. They perhaps also believe that if they cooperate
with the CBI, the courts may relax restrictions on their movement and
even permit them to leave India.
But the
CBI is not slack. It has recorded a fair degree of success in recent times
in the Bofors case. Last week, a Malaysian court refused to stay the extradition
proceedings by the Government against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi,
another Bofors accused.
Says P.C.
Sharma, CBI special director, who has led the team in Bofors case for
the past year: "It is a landmark in Bofors probe. Now every accused
is within reach of law. We are actively pursuing with the Swedish authorities
the matter relating to former Bofors chief Martin Ardbo." Sweden
does not allow extradition of its citizens but Sharma is optimistic that
this case will be an exception.
-Sayantan
Chakravarty
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