ON BOFORS CASE

The last decade and a half has shown that the Congress had no desire to go ahead with the Bofors case, when it came too uncomfortably close to higher ups within it.  It dragged  its feet, intervened frequently and brazenly in the entire process, did every thing to weaken the case so that it cannot stand the scrutiny of the courts in India and abroad, it has now shamelessly decided to drop it altogether.  This exposes the Congress government’s will to fight corruption.

 The proposal of the Union Government, to withdraw the case against Quatrochhi the key accused in the Bofors  corruption case is a shameful affair.  Every affair is made to weaken the case from the beginning. CBI has been pushed to ask for withdrawal of cases.  Earlier the Government allowed refreezing the bank accounts of Mr. Quatrochhi in London and allowed him to withdraw 21 crores of rupees next day.  No serious effort is made to bring him to India to face the court. Now the withdrawal of the case will formally liberate him once for all and the entire case of Bofors is once for all closed.  This is the biggest political scandal with allegations as very important political leaders, including the then Prime Minister.  In the case against Mr. Quatrochhi is so weak as the Law Minister is trying to paint, why Mr. Quatrochhi is not ready to face the trial.

 The fight against corruption is a difficult fight. It cannot be withdrawn on flimsy grounds.  CPI rejects the arguments in this case, and demands that Government should not withdraw the case and continue to its efforts to bring Mr. Quatrochhi before the Court.