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The Delhi high court on Tuesday quashed all charges against the Europe-based Hinduja brothers and Sweedish arms manufacturer A B Bofors in the Bofors kickbacks case.
The Hinduja brothers -- Shrichand, Gopichand and Prakash -- had filed a petition in the HC, seeking the quashing of charges framed against them by a district court.
They had argued that the documents, on the basis of which the trial court had framed charges, were merely photocopies without any seals and dates on them. Thus, these documents were not admissible as evidence.
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"No case can be proceeded against the Hindujas or the Bofors company in the absence of original documents. I quash the framing of charges by the chief metropolitan magistrate against the Hinduja brothers and the A B Bofors Company,"
Justice R S Sodhi said in his order.
The verdict came four days after Additional Solicitor General B Datta conceded that the Central Bureau of Investigation was unable to get either the authenticated copies or originals of Swiss documents on the basis of which the agency had proceeded against the accused.