Sonia must be questioned in Bofors kickback case:Fernandes

New Delhi, Feb 26 (UNI) A Swedish police officer, who claims to be among the handful of people to have seen all the documents pertaining to the Bofors-India Howitzer case deal, has written to NDA convenor George Fernandes that UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi must be ''questioned'' in the case.

Mr Sten Lindstorm, principal investigator in the case, when the pay-off scandal rocked India in the late 80s, in his five-page letter to Mr Fernandes wrote ''Ms Sonia Gandhi must be questioned.

I know what I am saying.'' The key questions needed answers were--Who introduced Mr Quattrocchi to Bofors officials? What was his value proposition that led him to ensure Bofors contractually that he need not be paid if the deal was not closed in their favour? Why did Bofors pay Mr Quattrocchi and what services did his company A E Services offer? What were his links with him and Ms Gandhi? Who was the Gandhi trustee lawyer that Mr Ardbo met in Geneva? The official's letter was circulated to the media in the precincts of Parliament by the former Defence Minister, claiming that the official was probably the only person who has met every Swedish official connected with the case.

''It wouldn't be wrong to say that I am probably one of no more than a handful of people--if not the only person--to have seen all documents pertaining to the case,'' Mr Lindstorm said, asserting that he had called on all, from former Bofors head Martin Ardbo to former Swedish Foreign Minister Sten Anderson and from the people in Bofors accounts department to its Board Members.

Mr Lindstorm said he had earlier said that the truth would come out one day but he did not believe that the day was far off as the unravelling continued. ''Ottavio Quattrocchi, the Italian middleman who negotiated the political pay-off through AE Services must be interrogated. Sonia Gandhi must be questioned. All else in detail,'' he stated.

The investigator claimed that he had raised these questions with former Bofors chief Ardbo and he said the truth about India payoffs would follow him to his grave and was ''quiet'' about the last minute contract with AE services, a deal he personally oversaw.

''It was clear to me that this was the 'political pay-off'. The A E Services, he said had received a single payment of 50 million Swedish Kronors routed through Swiss banks and the money moved very fast to avoid detection and Mr Quattrocchi was directly linked to this account.'' UNI