Kams

New Delhi, May 31: Following is the chronology of events in the Rs 1437 crore Bofors gun deal case in which Delhi High Court today quashed all charges against Hinduja Brothers and Bofors Company:

March 24, 1986: The Rs 1437 crore deal between Indian government and Swedish arms manufacturer A B Bofors for supply of 400 Howitzer field guns of 155mm to Indian Army.

April 16, 1987: Swedish Radio claims Bofors paid kickbacks to top Indian politicians and key defence officials to secure the deal.

April 20, 1987: Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assures Lok Sabha that neither any middleman was involved in the deal nor any kickback was paid.

August 06, 1987: Joint Parliamentary Committee set up under B Shankaranand to probe into allegations of kickbacks.

February 1988: Indian investigators visit Sweden.

April 25, 1988: JPC submits its report.

July 18, 1989: JPC report presented in Parliament.

December 26, 1989: V P Singh government debars Bofors Company from entering into any defence contract with India.

January 22, 1990: CBI registers FIR in the case.

January 26, 1990: Swiss authorities freeze bank accounts of Swenska and AE Services.

February 17, 1992: B O Anderson`s sensational report on the Bofors pay-offs case published.

December 1992: Supreme Court reverses a Delhi High Court order quashing the FIR in the case.

February 09, 1993: Supreme Court rejects Win Chadha`s plea for quashing of letters Rogatory sent by the trial court to its counterpart in Sweden seeking assistance for CBI in the case.

July 12, 1993: Swiss Federal Court rules that India was entitled to Swiss Bank documents pertaining to the kickbacks.

January 21, 1997: After four years of legal wrangles, secret documents running into over 500 pages given to Indian authorities at a public ceremony in Berne.

January 30, 1997: CBI constitutes special investigation team for the case.

February 10, 1997: CBI questions ex-Army Chief Gen K Sunderji.

February 12, 1997: Letters rogatory issued to Malaysia and UAE seeking arrest and extradition of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi and former Bofors agent Win Chadha.

May 1998: Delhi High Court rejects Quattrocchi`s plea for quashing of red corner notice issued by Interpol at the behest of CBI.

October 22, 1999: CBI files first chargesheet naming Win Chaddha, Quattrocchi, former Defence Secretary S K Bhatnagar, former Bofors chief Martin Ardbo and the company AB Bofors. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi`s name figured as "an accused not sent up for trial" as he had already died in 1991.

November 07, 1999: Trial court issues warrant against Quattrocchi while summoning other four accused.

December 13, 1999: CBI team goes to Malaysia to seek extradition of Quattrocchi but fails in its efforts.

Early, 2000: Quattrocchi approaches Supreme Court for quashing of arrest warrant against him. Court asks him to appear before CBI for interrogation while protecting him from arrest. Quattrocchi refuses to accept the order saying his counsel misled the court.

March 18, 2000: Chadha comes from UAE to face trial.

July 29, 2000: Special CBI court issues "open non-bailable arrest warrants" against Ardbo.

September 04, 2000: Chadha moves SC for permission to go to Dubai for treatment. The court rejects the plea a week later.

September 29, 2000: Hindujas issue statement in London saying the funds received by them from AB Bofors had no connection with the Howitzer gun deal.

October 09, 2000: CBI files a supplementary chargesheet naming Hinduja brothers - Srichand, Gopichand and Prakash - as accused in the Bofors gun deal.

December 12, 2000: Special CBI court takes cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet.

January 19, 2001: Three Hinduja brothers appear before special CBI court, granted bail but asked not to leave India.

May 12, 2001: Supreme Court lets Srichand and Gopichand go abroad but asks Prakashchand to stay in India.

October 24, 2001: Win Chadha dies of cancer. Another accused S K Bhatnagar passes away in the same year.

April 19, 2002: Special court dismisses Hindujas` plea to quash the chargesheet.

January 2002: Delhi High Court quashes CBI chargesheets in the case on the ground of inordinate delay in probe and trial.

2002: SC allows special CBI court to go ahead with trial.

September 02, 2002: Arguments begin on charge.

November 14, 2002: Special Judge Prem Kumar frames charges against Hinduja brothers and Bofors Company.

July 07, 2003: Supreme Court sets aside HC verdict on quashing of chargeshet and orders resumption of trial.

February 04, 2004: Justice J D Kapoor drops corruption charges against all accused. Orders reaming of cheating charges against Hindujas and forgery charges against Bofors.

2004: Hindujas seek recall of Justice Kapoor`s order.

May 31. 2005: Justice R S Sodhi quashes all charges against Hindujas and Bofors.