CBI sets up SIT to probe Bofors case

After declaring on Monday that he would not form a special investigation team to probe the Bofors case, Central Bureau of Investigation Director Joginder Singh has announced the formation of a 12-member SIT just three days later.

The SIT will go into every aspect of the Bofors case, including the scrutinising of the 500-odd Swiss bank documents which the CBI secured on Tuesday, January 21 in Berne, Switzerland.

The SIT will be headed by the agency's additional director, N Revennasidiah. One joint director, two deputy inspectors general, two superintendents, two deputy superintendents of police and four inspectors will be the other members of the team.

''The team has already started its work,'' CBI spokesman S M Khan said.

Agency sources have dismissed as ''speculative'' reports in a national newspaper that the Swiss documents contained the names of Win Chadha, the Hinduja brothers and Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochi.

''It is not the CBI's practice to deny or confirm press reports,'' one officer said. "We have not released any details contained in the bank documents still being decoded by the Bureau.''

French and German language experts from the Cabinet secretariat are helping CBI officers decipher the Swiss papers.

CBI sources disclosed that the agency is renewing its attempts to interrogate Chaddha, who lives in Dubai. A request in this connection has been pending with the government of the United Arab Emirates for several years now.