A public interest litigation challenging the quashing of charges against the Europe-based Hinduja brothers in the Bofors pay-offs case was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday.

The PIL, filed by advocate Ajay Agrawal, said he was compelled to file the petition against the May 31 judgement of the High Court, as the Central Bureau of Investigations has failed to approach the apex court with a Special Leave Petition within the 90-day deadline for filing an appeal.

"The petitioner was expecting that the CBI would file the SLP against the May 31 order of the High Court within the period of limitation but he was shocked to read media reports stating that the Law Ministry had not given the clearance to CBI for filing it in the apex court," the PIL said.

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It was reported that the agency was still confident that it would receive the Government's nod and would later approach the apex court with an appeal for condonation of delay. CBI had sent the draft of the SLP to the Law Ministry as it was mandatory for the agency to seek the government's nod for approaching the apex court.

The Delhi High Court had, on May 31, quashed all charges against the Hinduja brothers - Srichand, Gopichand, Ashok and Prakashchand - and the Bofors company, and castigated the CBI for its handling of the case, saying it had cost the exchequer Rs 250 crore.

The filing of a PIL in the case assumes significance as some of the former chiefs of the CBI had reportedly said if the agency shed the option of filing SLP, somebody would have to approach the apex court with the PIL.

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