The Hindu : Charges framed against Hindujas, trial on Dec. 4

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 16, 2002

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Charges framed against Hindujas, trial on Dec. 4

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI Nov. 15. Even as counsel for the three Hinduja brothers pleaded "not guilty'' to the charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption, a special court here today framed charges against them in the "Rs. 64-crore Bofors payoff case'' and fixed December 4 for commencement of the trial.

On Thursday, the Special Judge, Prem Kumar, found them "prima facie, accused persons'' and ordered the framing of charges against the three brothers — Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand — and the Swedish arms manufacturer, AB Bofors.

The judge held that the brothers had, between May 1986 and December 1986, received/obtained nine payments from Bofors in favour of M/s Mc Intyre Corporation in its three accounts bearing code names `Lotus', `Mont-Blanc' and `Tulip' to the tune of SEK 80,797,709.92 through various banks from AB Bofors as commission. The judge noted that they were not otherwise entitled to commission as no middlemen/agent was required to be engaged during the negotiations in the award of the contract for the supply of 400 numbers (plus 10 guns free) of 155 mm field Howitzers 77 B gun and gun systems.

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