Date:15/05/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/05/15/stories/2003051503201200.htm

National

Hindujas allowed to stay abroad till July 21

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI May 14. The Supreme Court today extended till July 21 the earlier order permitting the three Hinduja brothers accused in the `Rs. 64-crore-Bofors pay-off case' to go abroad together. On February 27, the court had asked them to stay abroad till May 2.

A vacation Bench, comprising Justice N. Santosh Hegde and Justice Shivaraj V. Patil, extended the February 27 order when the matter was mentioned by the senior counsel, Ram Jethmalani, appearing for the Hinduja brothers.

The Bench said since the matter was earlier heard by another Bench, comprising Justice M.B. Shah and Justice Arun Kumar, the application of the Hindujas — Gopichand, Srichand and Prakashchand — should be placed before the same Bench on July 21. Meanwhile, the Bench said, "if the trial against the applicant and his two brothers were to continue and the trial court deems it proper to summon them, they have to adhere to it.'' Mr. Jethmalani assured the court that in case of summons being issued to the Hindujas, they would come back to India within 72 hours of its receipt.

As per conditions attached to the bail granted to them earlier by the apex court, one of the brothers had to stay in India at any point of time. The three brothers were permitted in October last to leave abroad simultaneously to celebrate Diwali with their families. On a fresh application in February, they were allowed to be away from India till May 2.