'Chadha not able to get visa endorsement'

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 5. The counsel for Mr. Win Chadha, former Bofors agent and an accused in the Bofors payoffs case, submitted to the special court that with the passport granted for one year (only the photocopy of the passport given to him), it would not be possible for him to get visa endorsement from the UAE authorities.

Mr. Chadha's sponsor in the UAE would not sign the necessary forms without verifying the original passport (issued earlier and impounded). The counsel said without the visa endorsement it would not be possible for Mr. Chadha to get out of Dubai.

The counsel said that Mr. Chadha had written to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Consulate-General of India in the UAE expressing the difficulties and pleading for a permanent passport and that a reply was awaited. Though Mr. Chadha's intention was to come to India and subject himself to the jurisdiction of the court, he was unable to do so now due to technical reasons, the counsel said and prayed for some more time to comply with the summons.

When the judge asked the counsel whether Mr. Chadha approached the Indian Consulate seeking the original passport, it was submitted that he sent his representative. To this the judge said ``you want everything on a platter''. To a question by the judge whether Mr. Chadha had written to the UAE authorities about the court summons, issue of passport and the need for verification of the impounded passport, the counsel said no such request had been made.

Opposing the application, the CBI said Mr. Chadha's plea was unreasonable and intended to defeat the ends of justice. When the passport had been issued to him and assurance had been given that all facilities would be made for his travel to India including visa endorsement there was no reason to entertain the plea.

Being an Indian citizen, no sponsorship was required for his visit to India. A beneficiary of the ``scandal of the last millennium'', his intention was only to delay the matter further. Contending that it would be a wasteful exercise of the court, the counsel sought the dismissal of the application.

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