Give Bofors details in 15 days, CIC tells CBI

CIC seeks explanation of the Home Ministry on denying information related to expenses incurred on the investigation in the Bofors case, report Chetan Chauhan and Aloke Tikku.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has sought explanation of the Home Ministry on denying information related to expenses incurred on the investigation in the Bofors pay-off case.

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The commission also instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation to furnish the information sought within 15 days to RTI applicant Keder Nath Jena, a Cuttack based advocate. Jena had filed a RTI application with the Home Ministry in January 2006 wanting to know expenses incurred on probe, prosecution and in extradition proceedings of Ottavio Quattarocchi, Hinduja brothers and others in Bofors pay-off case since the beginning.

Instead, of furnishing him the information, the ministry forwarded his application to Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). But, DoPT also passed the buck on to CBI saying the probe agency was looking into the matter. On September 15, 2006, CBI told Jena that his application has been received but the information cannot be provided as validity of the demand draft had expired. He was asked to submit a fresh plea.

Aggrieved by the response, Jena filed a complaint with CIC in September 2006. The matter was heard on June 27 this year. In his decision, CIC Wajahat Habibullah instructed CBI to furnish information within 15 days to Jena and took an adverse view regarding handling of the RTI application.