Friday, July 8 2005 14:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: CBI has begun an in-house exercise to ascertain how much money was spent on its investigation into the Rs 64 crore Bofors payoff case even as the agency was scrutinising the judgement of Delhi High Court quashing charges against Hinduja brothers.

The CBI has already cleared the dust from the files of reimbursement sought by its officials while probing the case, CBI sources said in New Delhi today (July 8, 2005).

The Delhi High Court had on May 31 quashed all charges against three Europe-based Hinduja brothers and Bofors company and castigated the CBI for its handling of the 18-year-old case saying it had cost the exchequer Rs 250 crore.

The CBI Director had expressed surprise over the figure and asked administrative officials of the agency to work out complete details of the expenditure on probe into the case.

This includes foreign trips by CBI Directors beginning from Joginder Singh in early 1990's and other agency officials, the sources said.

They said the exercise was a daunting task as the agency only maintained yearly expenditure and not the case wise expenses.

Meanwhile, the CBI is examining the Delhi High Court judgement quashing the charges against the Hinduja brothers in the Bofors case, the sources said adding such a decision would be taken soon.