New Delhi: CBI has admitted that there was no evidence so far to suggest that any public servant received money in the Rs 1437 crore Bofors contract for the supply of 400 Howitzer guns to the Indian Army in March 1986.

The admission came from Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Mukul Rohatagi on a specific query from Justice J D Kapoor of the Delhi High Court whether any public servant got money in the deal signed with the Swedish arms manufacturer.

However, Rohatagi clarified that the probe was still going on and some "disclosures" might come up. "We might file another charge-sheet on the basis of fresh evidence collected by the probe agency," he added.

CBI has already filed two charge-sheets in the case. In its first charge-sheet filed in October 1999 it named the then Defence Secretary S K Bhatnagar, Bofors agent W N Chaddha, Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, Bofors company and its then chief Martin Ardbo as accused.

A year later, CBI filed another chargesheet against the Europe-based Hinduja brothers - Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand. While Chadha and Bhatnagar have died, CBI has failed to secure the presence of Ardbo and Quattrocchi.

The High Court is hearing appeals by accused Hinduja brothers and Bofors challenging the November 2002 order of Special Judge Prem Kumar framing charges against them.

Terming the charges as "legal absurdity" Hindujas' counsel urged the court to set them aside as they were framed without any arguments from either side in open court, which was against the principles of natural justice and the CrPC.

PTI