Alstom Files as Plaintiff in Bribery Case

French engineering giant Alstom SA moved to position itself as a victim in a bribes-for-business probe of the company by Swiss and French prosecutors, by filing to join the inquiry as a co-plaintiff.

In many European countries, one can join an ongoing criminal investigation or proceeding as a party claiming injury. Such a move could give the party, among other things, access to some of the case files. That right could be forfeited, however, in the event the company is charged with a crime.

The legal maneuver comes more than a week after The Wall Street Journal reported that former ...