STOCKHOLM: The Swedish investigation into the Bofors payoff scandal appears to have reached a deadlock with the police and the public prosecutor saying they have no information that can motivate them to reactivate investigation.
The only hope to get to the bottom of the scandal, that is still open, is that the courts in Switzerland may relax their bank secrecy.
“If that happens then we may be able to handle the matter in another way,” says Sten Lindstrom, the police investigator, here.
“We must be able to trace the money. That is the vital point for an eventual indictment.”
Since the Swedish government received a formal request from the Indian government last February for assistance in their investigation of Bofors bribes, chief public prosecutor Lars Ringberg and Sten Lindstrom of the criminal police have been studying the demands for documents and interrogation access to persons who are key figures in the deal.
After studying the letter rogatory presented by the Indian team comprising Bhure Lal, joint secretary, prime minister’s office, Arun Jaitley, additional solicitor general and K. Madhavan, joint director, Central Bureau of Investigation, along with new material supplied by the CBI, Lindstrom says: “The greater part of the information brought to us from India was already known to us. We have examined it carefully and have arrived at the conclusion that there is not sufficient evidence in it to justify a new investigation or enquiry.”
Article extracted from this publication >> November 9, 1990
