New Delhi: Counsel for Hinduja brothers, Ram Jethmalani, on May 5 submitted in the Supreme Court that the Bofors payoff case against his clients was nothing but a "persecution" undertaken by the government for political gains.

Arguing in support of the Delhi High Court judgement quashing a chargesheet against Hindujas, Jethmalani contended that all the public servants arraigned as accused in the case were dead.

The Bench comprised Justice S Rajendra Babu and Justice G P Mathur.

The argument was part of hearings on an appeal filed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the High Court verdict last year quashing the chargesheet against the Hindujas on the ground that CBI had not taken the mandatory clearance from Central Vigilance Commission as envisaged by the apex court in the Vineet Narain case.

Jethmlani argued that the Hindujas were being harassed only to draw political mileage and showed to the court that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its election manifesto in 1999 had made a point to vigorously pursue the 12-year-old corruption case.

He said if the BJP was so concerned about corruption why did it not take up the corruption cases that were pending for more than 12 years in the courts.

PTI