Former Indian agent for Bofors Win Chadha is understood to have indicated to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that he wants to come clean and "in the process clear his name."
Chadha, an accused in the Bofors bribery case, is expected to appear before Special CBI court on March 21. After surrendering before the court, he would move the court for bail. He has come to India in pursuance to undertaking given by him to the Special CBI court earlier.
Mr Chadha's manager, Mr Sylesh Babu, who is supervising his affairs in India, however, denied that any such move was on. "He has come to India on his own to clear his name," he said.
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CBI officers, on the other hand, refused to comment. "We will disclose our strategy only before the court," a senior officer supervising the case said. He refused to clarify whether the agency would soften its stance if Chadha was willing reveal everything before the court. "It will, however, oppose his bail plea."
"We will naturally oppose the bail plea," the officer added. He was, however, quick to add that "Chadha's move to come clean is between him and the court; we have nothing to do," the officer said.
The CBI has alleged that according to bank documents received from Switzerland, Chadha had received about $ 27 million dollars from the M/s A B Bofors. This money is believed to have been routed through M/s Sevenska, which was further layered through several accounts.
Earlier, in 1998, when a three-member team had visited Chadha in Dubai, he had expressed his willingness to reveal everything he knew about the deal "to clear his name." He had also expressed his willingness to come to India but had sought a guarantee that he would not be arrested by the agency on his arrival and the other investigative agencies Directorate of Enforcement and Income Tax would not proceed against him. The plan fell through as the Union Home Ministry reportedly decided against it.