I am a convenient scapegoat: Win Chadha

Sonny Abraham in Dubai

Former Bofors agent Win Chadha has challenged the Central Bureau of Investigation to produce even a single document to prove that his late wife Kanta and son Harsh received any kickbacks in the $ 1.3 billion Swedish gun deal or that they held an account in a Swiss bank.

''I guarantee that there is not one sheet of paper in those so- called 500 pages which indicate their involvement,'' he said.

The CBI had announced that Chadha, his late wife and son were three of the five people identified as recipients of kickbacks Bofors allegedly paid in the 410 howitzer deal.

Chadha said it was bad enough that the Indian government had prevented him from being with his wife who was dying of liver cancer in the United States in 1993.

''First, they took away my passport illegally. Then they used false premises to revoke it. And furthermore put pressure on the US government to forbid my entry,'' he said.

Chadha said he had pleaded with and petitioned the Indian government that he be allowed to be with his dying wife, but that was in vain.

''Two days after the final rejection by the Indian government, against all norms of human compassion and legal contest, Kanta died in California, her will to live was broken after she learnt I would not be coming,'' he said.

Chadha said he was a ''convenient scapegoat'' for the CBI.

''This is a farce. Is it not bad enough that she is dead? Now they slander my wife in the press without an iota of evidence,'' Chadha, who now lives in Dubai, said.

He demanded that the CBI make public the documents pertaining to his wife and son, failing which it should make a ''complete and unreserved apology''.

Chadha said this would enable the public to judge for themselves if any evidence existed against his son and wife. ''I state most categorically that no such documents exist, that there is nothing to indicate that either my dead wife or my son received even one single dollar,'' he said.

"I have been attacked, vilified and harassed for ten years," he said, "but I will not stand by and have the memory of my wife discredited by innuendo and lies.''

Soon after the CBI's announcement last fortnight, Chaha issued a statement, saying he had never taken or given any bribe in his entire career.

On Sunday, he said he did not want to comment on his alleged involvement because the matter was sub judice. ''But let me say that time will vindicate even me. For now I will fight for the honour of my wife and son.''

UNI