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New Delhi, Oct 30 (UNI) Justice Dalveer Bhandari of the Supreme Court today withdrew from the bench hearing the petition challenging Delhi High Court judgment quashing criminal proceedings against Hinduja brothers in Bofors Gun scandal involving kickbacks worth Rs 64 crores in the investigation of which the state spent about Rs 250 crores.

The bench headed by Justice G P Mathur adjourned the hearing of the case by a week to enable the Chief Justice to constitute a new bench for hearing of the case.

Petitioners Raj Kumar Pandey and Ajay K Aggarwal are seeking stay against the High Court judgment dated March 31,2005 discharging the three Hinduja brothers namely Gopichand Hinduja, Srichand Hinduja and Parkash Hinduja so that trial in the case may resume.

The three London-based NRI Indians have already withdrawn the security of Rs 5 crores deposited by each one of them and the amount had gone up to about Rs 22.5 crores including interest.

Italian based family friend of Gandhi family, Ottavio Quattorocchi has also withdrawn money from Swiss bank believed to be the illegal kickbacks paid in the scandal. Main accused in the case commission agent Win Chadha has also died.

Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was given a clean chit by the Delhi High Court in 2003 holding that he was not involved in the shady deal and had been maligned by the media for a long time.

Former Prime Minister V P Singh had come to power in 1989 on the anti-corruption plank dethroning Rajiv Gandhi after exposure of the Bofors scandal.

V P Singh was the defence minister in Rajiv Gandhi government.

UNI AKS/SC RP BS1819