November 15, 2002	Friday	Ramazan 9, 1423

NEW DELHI, Nov 14: An Indian court on Thursday ordered prosecutors to press criminal charges against the Britain-based billionaire Hinduja brothers in connection with a 1.3-billion-dollar arms scandal which surfaced in 1986.

The Hindujas run a global business empire comprising banking and finance, transport, information technology, media, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, oil and chemicals.

The brothers — Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand — have been under orders since September last year that at least one of them will have to remain in India while the others travel overseas.

They are faced with allegations that their firm took bribes from Bofors to clinch the 1.3 billion-dollar arms deal between the Swedish firm and the Indian government in 1986.

Judge Prem Kumar said the three brothers as well as Bofors were liable to be charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption.

The judge in a 176-page order said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would also press additional charges of forgery against Bofors and fixed Friday as the date for the framing of charges.

“If the accused do not plead guilty as has been indicated by their counsel, the court will proceed with the trial during which they will get an opportunity to scrutinise the evidence against them and cross-examine the witnesses cited by the CBI ...,” Kumar said.—AFP