NEW DELHI: The CBI has won another round in the legal battle in the Swiss courts with the rejection of two more appeals: against the transfer of crucial bank documents relating to the” Bofors gun deal case. The Swiss Cantonal court rejected the appeals last week, thereby clearing yet another hurdle in the process of transfer of papers to the CBI, which hopes to have them by the end of the next month. In all, four appellants had moved the Cantonal court against the decision of the Examining Magistrate to hand over the documents which the CBI suspects contain details of the alleged kickbacks in the gun deal.
Of the four appellants, whose identities have not been disclosed, a decision with regard to two had been conveyed each this month.
The appellants who have lost have appealed to the Federal (Supreme) Court against the order, but officials in the investigation agency are hopeful that the court may not take long to dispose of an appeal at this stage. The Examining Magistrate, Mr. Paul Perrandin, had cleared the way. Through his order during July this year. It meant that the CBI could have the secret documents pertaining g to coded bank accounts operated Swiss banks. The identities of the people who operated them and entries pertaining to the accounts would be found the papers, the officials say, which is CEERI not under the Swiss banking laws.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 25, 1996
