WASHINGTON, March 15: A federal grand jury has indicted accounting firm Andersen for obstruction of justice tied to probes of Enron Corp.’s collapse, federal officials announced on Thursday, prompting Andersen to say its business was damaged but it had no plans for bankruptcy.

The US Justice Department said Andersen was indicted in connection with the destruction of tons of documents and computer files sought in probes of fallen energy trading giant Enron.

Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson said the indictment included allegations of widespread criminal conduct by Andersen, charging the firm sought to undermine the justice system by destroying evidence relevant to investigators.

“Dozens of large trunks were brought in to haul documents from Andersen’s office and Enron’s building to Andersen’s firm office in Houston in order to destroy literally tons of documents,” Thompson said.

The indictment alleged that Andersen partners and others, at urgent and mandatory meetings, told employees to immediately destroy documents on Enron, a top campaign contributor to President George W. Bush and others in Washington.—Reuters