April 15, 2007 Chronology
of Bofors scandal
New Delhi,
Following is the chronology of events in the Bofors howitzer payoff
scandal:
March 24,
1986: A $1.4 billion contract between the Indian government and
Swedish arms company AB Bofors signed for supply of over 400 155mm
howitzers.
April 16, 1987: Swedish Radio claims Bofors paid kickbacks to top
Indian politicians and key defence officials to secure the deal.
April 20, 1987: Then Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi assures the
Lok Sabha that neither was any middleman involved in the deal nor
were kickbacks paid.
Aug 6, 1987: Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) set up under B.
Shankaranand to probe into allegations of kickbacks.
February 1988: Indian investigators visit Sweden.
July 18, 1989: JPC report presented to parliament.
November 1989: Rajiv Gandhi loses power as Congress defeated in
general elections.
Dec 26, 1989: Then prime minister V.P. Singh's government bars
Bofors from entering into any defence contract with India.
Jan 22, 1990: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registers
complaint in the case.
Jan 26, 1990: Swiss authorities freeze bank accounts of Svenska and
AE Services, who allegedly received unauthorised commissions for the
deal.
Feb 17, 1992: Journalist Bo Anderson's sensational report on the
Bofors payoffs case published.
December 1992: Supreme Court reverses a Delhi High Court decision
quashing the complaint in the case.
Feb 9, 1993: Supreme Court rejects former Bofors agent Win Chadha's
plea for quashing the letters rogatory sent by the trial court to
its counterpart in Sweden seeking assistance in the case.
July 12, 1993: Swiss federal court rules that India was entitled to
Swiss bank documents pertaining to the kickbacks.
July 29/30 1993: Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, who was
representing Italian fertiliser firm Snam Progetti for several
years, leaves India to avoid arrest warrant the CBI was seeking.
Jan 21, 1997: After four years of legal wrangles, secret documents
running into over 500 pages given to Indian authorities at a public
ceremony in Berne.
Jan 30, 1997: CBI constitutes special investigation team for the
case.
Feb 10, 1997: CBI questions ex-army chief General Krishnaswamy
Sundarji.
Feb 12, 1997: Letters rogatory issued to Malaysia and United Arab
Emirates (UAE) seeking arrest of Quattrocchi and Win Chadha.
May 1998: Delhi High Court rejects Quattrocchi's plea for quashing
of the 'red corner' notice issued by Interpol at the request of CBI.
Oct 22, 1999: CBI files first chargesheet naming Win Chadha,
Quattrocchi, former Indian defence secretary S.K. Bhatnagar, former
Bofors chief Martin Ardbo and Bofors company. Former prime minister
Rajiv Gandhi's name figured as "an accused not sent for
trial" as he was killed in 1991.
Nov 7, 1999: Trial court issues arrest warrants against Quattrocchi,
while summoning other four accused.
Dec 13, 1999: CBI team goes to Malaysia to seek extradition of
Quattrocchi; fails in its efforts.
Early 2000: Quattrocchi approaches the Supreme Court for quashing of
arrest warrant against him. Court asks him to appear before CBI for
interrogation while protecting him from being arrested. Quattrocchi
refuses to accept the order, saying his counsel misled the court.
March 18, 2000: Chadha comes to India to face trial.
July 29, 2000: Trial court issues "open non-bailable arrest
warrants" against Ardbo.
Sep 4, 2000: Chadha moves Supreme Court for permission to go to
Dubai for treatment. Supreme Court rejects plea a week later.
Sep 29, 2000: Hindujas issue statement in London saying funds
received by them from Bofors had no connection with the gun deal.
Oct 9, 2000: CBI files supplementary chargesheet naming Hinduja
brothers as accused in the Bofors gun deal.
Dec 20, 2000: Quattrocchi arrested in Malaysia, gets bail but is
asked to stay within the country.
Aug 6, 2001: Former defence secretary Bhatnagar dies of cancer.
Oct 24, 2001: Win Chadha dies of heart attack at his New Delhi
residence.
Nov 15, 2002: Hinduja brothers formally charged with cheating,
criminal conspiracy and corruption.
Dec 2, 2002: Malaysian court denies India's request for
Quattrocchi's extradition.
July 28, 2003: Acting on India's request, Britain freezes
Quattrocchi's bank accounts.
Jan 4, 2004: Swiss authorities agree to consider CBI's request for
providing Quattrocchi's bank details.
Feb 4, 2004: Delhi High Court clears Rajiv Gandhi of involvement in
the Bofors kickbacks scandal.
May 31, 2005: Delhi High Court clears Hindujas of involvement in the
scandal.
Dec 31, 2005: The CBI tells Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), London,
that it has not been able to link the money in two accounts of
Quattrocchi with the Bofors kickbacks
Jan 7, 2006: Two accounts of Quattrocchi in London banks containing
3 million euros and $1 million were defreezed after then additional
solicitor general B. Dutta met the CPS lawyers.
Feb 6, 2007: Quattrocchi detained at Iguazu international airport on
an Interpol lookout notice.
Feb 13, 2007: CBI writes to ministry of external affairs for
Argentinean Extradition Act and tells Interpol Buenos Aires that
documentation being prepared for extradition proceedings.
Feb 24, 2007: Fresh warrant of arrest against Quattrocchi obtained
from Delhi court.
Feb 26, 2007: Quattrochhi released on bail with condition that he
does not leave Argentina.
Feb 28, 2007: Two-member CBI team to leave for Argentina
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