Former prime minister V.P. Singh said Tuesday he would await the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) next move before commenting on the Delhi High Court judgement clearing the Hinduja brothers of wrongdoing in the Bofors gun deal.

Singh, who came to power on the crest of a popular wave against the Congress party after its leadership was accused of accepting bribes in the purchase of the 15 mm Swiss howitzers, said: "Let me see what the CBI (which has been probing the case) does next."

"I will give my reaction after that," Singh told IANS.

The court Tuesday not only acquitted the Europe-based Hinduja brothers but also ruled out any irregularities in securing the deal for Indian Army.

A CBI spokesperson said the agency would legally examine the judgement and decide the next course of action in the 18-year-old case.

Singh said he would not like to comment on the judges. Singh's Janata Dal, that was formed after he broke away from the Congress, and other parties had led a massive campaign against Rajiv Gandhi, saying he and his family had received kickbacks in the gun deal. 

Cashing in on the wave against Gandhi, Singh came to power with the outside support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left parties in December 1989, the first non-Congress government in 10 years.

However, Tuesday's judgement reiterated there was no solid evidence against Rajiv.

The judgement said the CBI could not "unearth a scintilla of evidence against them for having accepted bribe/illegal gratification in awarding the contract in favour of A.B. Bofors, now rechristened as Kartongen Kemi Ochi Forvaltning AB, which had won the bid to supply 410 guns to the country".