CBI revokes plea for Bofors probe permit

Amid the heat of election rhetoric that has seen the Bofors gun deal being raked up, a special court here allowed the CBI to withdraw its plea seeking the court's nod to further probe the alleged Rs 64-crore kickbacks in the contract, days after chiding the agency for its needless application.

The agency already has the power to re-investigate a case if it gets fresh evidence under section 173 (8) of the Criminal Procedure Code, yet it knocked the court's doors seeking permission, raising many eyebrows.

The CBI's application was filed on February 1, 2018, when the agency was headed by IPS officer Alok Kumar Verma, who was earlier this year booted out by a high-power committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Taking note of CBI's stand on Thursday that it wanted to withdraw the application, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Navin Kumar Kashyap said: "For the reason best known to the CBI, in case they want to withdraw the application, they have the right as they are the applicants."

The court also took note of the virtual U-turn of advocate Ajay Agarwal, who had filed a separate application before the court seeking further probe in the matter but wanted to withdraw his plea now.

"Why should we not impose a cost on you? You have wasted time of the court with your application. What is your locus (standi)?" the judge said.

The matter has been posted for arguments on July 6.

SMOKING GUN

• On Mar 24, 1986, India and Swedish arms maker AB Bofors entered into a Rs 1,437 crore deal for supply of 400 155mm Howitzer guns for Indian Army
   
• CBI’s Feb 2018 plea cited a 2017 interview with detective Michael J Hershman, alleging the then Rajiv Gandhi govt sabotaged his probe