Will continue probe in Bofors case: CBI

The CBI on Thursday said it will continue the probe in the Bofors case pertaining to suspected payment of Rs 64 crore bribe in the purchase of the Swedish artillery guns.

The agency's statement on investigation came hours after it withdrew its application filed on 1 February, 2018 from a Delhi court seeking permission to further probe the politically sensitive case.

The CBI noted that on May 8, the court had observed that when independent right and power is available with CBI to further investigate the matter on their own if in their wisdom it is necessary to do so then, why still such application was filed.

"After obtaining legal opinion, CBI filed an application in the court stating that for conducting further investigation u/s 173 (8) Cr.PC, permission of the Court is not mandatorily required by CBI and an intimation to the Court in this regard will suffice," it said.

The CBI had approached the court after private detective Michael Hershman claimed that the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government had sabotaged his investigation and that the bribe money had been parked in a Swiss account.

In the court, the CBI had said that further course of action would be taken by it and wanted to withdraw the application for now.

The judge 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 had on 4 December, 2018 too questioned as to why the CBI required its permission to further probe the matter.

It also filed an appeal in the Supreme Court in February 2018 against May 2005 verdict of the Delhi high Court discharging all the accused in the case. The Supreme court had in November 2018 dismissed CBI's appeal seeking condonation of the 13-year delay in filing the appeal, saying it was not convinced with the grounds cited by the CBI.